Dear Victoria
by sarbear2255
Summary: "I've spent too long only thinking about myself. But now I want to spend my life just caring about somebody else." A series of one-shots of Victoria and other toms in the yard.
1. Table of Contents

**Table of Contents**

**So, I know this says it in the summary, but I'm going to expand a little more. I actually got this inspiration from BroadwayKhaos's story **_**Do You Love Me?**_** And she has graciously granted me permission for this spin-off kind of project. So I will be writing a series of one-shots that pairs my favorite queen, Victoria, with almost every (if not every) tom in the yard. Obviously, that means some, like Old Deuteronomy, will not necessarily be romantic one-shots but will focus on a unique relationship between the two. I am really excited to share these with you! And I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I did planning and writing them.**

**For your convenience, I am putting a table of contents as the first chapter, so you can feel free to skip around and what not. It will also give you a hint as to what is coming next! **

**But please note: This is definitely subject to change! The order may be switched and toms may be added and/or subtracted. This is just a rough idea! I'm so excited! :D**

**2. Quaxo**

**3. Tumblebrutus**

**4. Skimbleshanks**

**5. Plato**

**6. Pouncival**

**7. Old Deuteronomy**

**8. Admetus**

**9. Mungojerrie**

**10. Macavity**

**11. Bustopher Jones**

**12. Alonzo**

**13. Munkustrap**

**14. Asparagus**

**15. Rum Tum Tugger**

**16. Coricopat**

**17. Growltiger**

**18. Gus**

**And even though I said I might add, feel free to let me know if I forgot someone!**

**With that in mind, enjoy! **


	2. Where We Were Before

**Chapter 2: Where We Were Before**

**This got a little long, sorry! But I don't think they'll all be this long. I really hope you enjoy it though! I think it turned out better than I thought!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Cats! Do own cats! :P**

Quaxo danced around the clearing as he shot lightning at strategic points on the junk piles. He was a little embarrassed when one of his bolts struck a little close to Pouncival, but no harm, no foul. The magical tom was too excited performing his number to give the thought too much attention. This was obviously his favorite performance of the ball, and he was so proud that he was actually going to be given the opportunity to put his powers to actual use instead of simply playing a trick with a spoon and a bit of fish paste. Of course there was the pressure. If he couldn't bring Old Deuteronomy back, the tribe would be in real trouble, but he was confident. He'd been practicing this spell a lot lately, though it was with inanimate objects instead of cats. The general idea was the same though.

The tuxedoed tom couldn't get enough of the tribe's shouts of astonishment as they sang his name. Of course they sang about his stage persona, Mr. Mistoffelees, but Quaxo was a born entertainer and didn't mind in the least.

After he finished a few more lightening bolt spells, he danced over towards his love, Victoria. He smiled as he leaned over and showered the snow-white queen in sparks and a warm glowing light. She was really the most beautiful queen he had ever seen, and he loved how the light played with her fur. She was like an angel.

He wasn't sure how he had captured her attention, be he wanted to make it clear that she was his queen, and that she meant the world to him. Every time he performed, she always sat a distance away, but he always found a way to incorporate her into his performance. Even when he was 'simply Quaxo', he could rarely be torn away from her side.

Mistoffelees faltered for a moment. As the glow engulfed his queen, it almost looked as if she shivered. He quickly brushed the thought aside and concentrated on her smile. He couldn't help but beam in return as he continued with his number.

Finally, his dance drew to an end, and Mistoffelees couldn't contain his joy that he had been able to bring Old Deuteronomy back. In that moment, Mistoffelees had forgotten all about his reputation for his stage persona, and was just thrilled at having the patriarch back with the tribe. He leapt for the old tom's arms and showered him with licks and nuzzles.

The ball was almost over when Grizabella entered the clearing. As a young tom, he had never actually met the glamour cat, but he had heard of her betrayal from the older cats and seemed to instinctively dislike her. Yet something deep within him watched with joy as Victoria met the old queen in the center and accepted her.

Not only was she beautiful, but on a much deeper (and more important level), she was kind and caring. He realized, as he did every day, how truly lucky he was to have her by his side. He ran across the clearing, wanting to be the first to take the queen from Victoria's paws. He wanted to be a better tom; he wanted to be the tom that Victoria deserved.

As Old Deuteronomy passed Grizabella up to the Heaviside Layer, Victoria found her place next to him. Quaxo had never seen her so happy, he assumed there must have been some connection between her and Grizabella. At the same time, even in her happiness, Quaxo would have sworn that every touch and gesture towards him held some hint of hesitation. He quickly shook the thought out of his head; he was probably just making things up. He was still just thinking about the "Mating Dance" she had had to perform with Plato. Quaxo knew that it meant nothing, but he just couldn't help but feel jealous. He was constantly worried that Victoria would one day realize what he always assumed: that she was too good for him, and she would leave him. He just had to continue to work towards being a better tom. And a little magic couldn't hurt.

The ball had finally come to an end, and all the cats were finding their way back to their dens. It had been a dramatic night filled with exceedingly happy highs, and terrifying lows. Quaxo wanted to find Victoria and make sure that she was okay, and to wish her a goodnight. If she wanted, Quaxo was going to offer his den for the night. He knew that Victoria was extremely scared of Macavity, and even though he knew she was happy for Grizabella, she may still need comfort through the night.

He quickly jogged to her den, but couldn't find her. He began to grow worried. What if she was too scared to sleep? What if she needed him? He wanted to be the one who was there for her; he wanted to be the one to comfort her! She was always there to comfort him and listen to his problems and always wanted so little in return. He finally was able to give her only a fraction of everything she had given him!

Quaxo frantically rushed through the clearing, trying to spot the beautiful white pelt that always seemed to sparkle in the starlight. It shouldn't have been that hard to find her. His anxiety began to mount as he authentically had trouble finding her. Quaxo began to ask every cat he met if they knew where she was. No one did.

Just as the tom began to break out in a cold sweat, he spotted a white figure sitting on the hood of a car a few junk piles away, in a more secluded part of the yard.

Quaxo breathed a quick sigh of relief, but still sprinted to the car he had seen.

The tuxedoed tom relaxed as he approached the car. For one, he didn't want to startle her by his worried appearance; he probably looked a wreck. Additionally he realized that she was fine and peacefully sitting on the hood of the car as she gazed towards the sky, completely spellbound.

Even though he assumed the stars must be beautiful, Quaxo couldn't shake the spell Victoria seemed to have woven around him. The breeze played with her fur as her alabaster coat seemed to glow beneath the Jellicle moon, almost matching the dazzling shine of her diamond collar. Every nerve in his body seemed to be tingling with a spark kind of sensation. He felt this way every time he looked at her, and he enjoyed every second of it.

He quietly ascended the pile towards the hood of the car. He didn't want to disturb Victoria's contemplation; she looked so at peace, he didn't think it would be fair to distract her.

Once he reached a seat next to her, she turned her dazzling smile and dreamy eyes in his direction. Quaxo was floored speechless. He couldn't even give the queen a greeting, her beauty was radiating.

As he was contemplating her snowy fur and crystal eyes, he noticed an unfamiliar emotion flit across her features. But as quickly as it had appeared, it was gone. Her smile was still as dazzling and her eyes were still deep and mysterious. Quaxo continued to study her face, trying to avoid the distraction of her features and tease out what that mysterious appearance was.

Victoria raised a delicate eyebrow at Quaxo's study. She let out a giggle that sounded like music before turning her gaze back to the sky.

Quaxo shook his head from his contemplation and followed her gaze. There was not a cloud in the sky and a million little lights seemed to twinkle all across the vast, black horizon. Quaxo imagined that, if one knew were to look, they could see right up to the Heaviside Layer. Even with the beauty above him, he couldn't help but sneak sidelong glances at his queen next to him. Once again, he couldn't resist the swell of pride at the fact that she had chosen him. He had to be the luckiest tom in the world.

A gentle sigh barely made its way to his ears. Quaxo stole another glance in Victoria's direction and saw her gazing dreamily at the sky. Her knees were tucked into her chest and her arms wrapped around them, holding them in place. He forgot how much sending a cat to the Layer affected her. She always viewed it as a goodbye, and goodbyes scared her. After he had learned this, Quaxo made it a habit to never use that word around her. It was always 'goodnight' or 'see you later'.

As he watched her, trying to think of the best way to comfort her, Victoria turned her gaze back towards Quaxo. Their eyes met and he managed a small, comforting smile.

Her eyes seemed sad as she eventually looked away and stared at the tips of her back paws and her gracefully swaying tail. Yet Quaxo continued to stare at her elegant profile.

"I really hate it." She whispered lowly. Quaxo wasn't sure if she was addressing him, or herself. "Why does someone have to leave every year?"

"But it's an honor." Quaxo purred back, trying to remind her how happy Grizabella had looked as she passed above the Russel Hotel.

"That's what everyone who doesn't get picked says! What if they weren't done living their life? What if they deserved and wanted more? Would you feel honored if they picked you at the next ball?" By this point Victoria's voice was shaking, and Quaxo noticed the tears falling to her knees.

Quaxo felt his heart torn in two; he couldn't stand to watch Victoria cry. All he wanted was for her to be happy, to grace him with her smiles and laughter. He gently placed his paw on her arm as he tried to find her gaze. "Of course not, but I'm young. I still have long life ahead of me…of us…" He tried to put a purr into his voice, hoping Victoria would understand how much he cared for her.

Victoria pulled away, agitated. She turned to face him, tightening her grip on her knees. "That doesn't make a difference! Grizabella was just accepted! Sh-she deserved to live a life in comfort, with loving cats around her! All she wanted was someone to hold her paw." Victoria turned to look at her paws clasped at her shins.

Quaxo could see her tightening her grip and squeezing her paws. The tears had stopped, but he could tell that she was still upset. He wasn't sure what to do. His body screamed to take her into his arms, but he knew Victoria better than that. She didn't want to be comforted as if nothing was wrong, she wanted to be listened to, and understood. He inched closer, trying to think of what to say, what would make it right?

Victoria closed her eyes and rested her forehead on her knees. "I mean…" She paused, searching for the words to say. "I mean, I _am_ sad, but more than anything, I'm scared. Do you know the reason she was shunned Quaxo?"

Quaxo was still nervous. He didn't want to say the wrong thing again. "I heard it was because she left with Macavity."

Victoria let out a dainty laugh, but the tears she was fighting back caught it in her throat. It ended up sound more like a choke. "No. That's not true…" She lifted her white head and placed her chin on her knees instead. Her eyes found Quaxo's, but this time she didn't look away. "Well, she did leave, but not with Macavity. My grandmother was a really close friend of hers. Before she went up to the Heaviside Layer, she told me the truth. She said that Grizabella deserved to have someone fight for her." Her voice grew quiet, "Not that I fought that hard…"

Quaxo let her words hang. He knew now was not the time to interrupt Victoria.

"But she didn't leave for a tom. She left to explore the world. She wanted to know what other tribes were like, how cats were in other cities. She was a curious cat, and not the way that Tugger is." She let a soft smile grace her lips. Quaxo had to train himself to pay attention to her words and not get lost in her eyes and smile.

"That's all she wanted: to explore, to learn. But I guess the Jellicles just couldn't understand it. With such a perfect life, why would one want to leave? Especially as beautiful as she was, she had the yard on a silver platter… so they needed a reason for her to leave. And a reason to hate her for it. Somehow she became Macavity's lover…

"And when she was finally accepted back into her family, she was sent to the Heaviside Layer. It makes me want to cry… I'm never going to leave Quaxo!" Victoria straightened as she stated her new conviction. Her eyes became earnest and desperate. "Call it naive, call it sheltered, but the world outside the yard scares me. I'm really no better than the other cats. I'm terrified of things I don't understand…" As her impassioned speech drew to a close, she quickly tore her eyes away and shivered a bit as she scooted across the car hood.

Quaxo wasn't sure what had gotten into her, but he could no longer suppress his desires. He quickly moved across the car and wrapped Victoria in his arms, telling her everything he could think of to let her know that it was okay, that she didn't have to be scared, he'd be there for her.

Victoria instantly pulled away, shoving Quaxo's paws from around her. He wasn't sure, but Quaxo could have sworn he heard a faint hiss emit from somewhere in the gentle queen's throat. Had he ever heard her hiss before?

Quaxo was frozen in disbelief. He couldn't think of anything that he had done wrong. All he wanted was to comfort her, surely she knew that. She couldn't be holding that against him. Quaxo could feel his mouth hanging open in shock. His mind just couldn't seem to process what had just happened.

Victoria glanced up a Quaxo, but couldn't seem to hold his copper gaze. It quickly dropped down to the paws folded prettily in her lap. She gave a nervous laugh, as if she was also unsure of what had just happened. "W-why don't you go change out of your…costume?" She whispered quietly.

As soft as her voice, was Quaxo couldn't miss her tone. Ever so faintly, he could hear the disgust and fear in her voice. Even though he was still stunned, Quaxo began to pick up the hints in her posture. Victoria had begun to curl up again, as if trying to protect herself from something. He could tell now that her paws were clamped together in an effort to quell their shaking and a wrinkle of concentration creased her brow as she tried not to shiver.

Clues from the past also came readily to mind. He remembered her shivering at the ball. He recalled all the times she missed his magic shows or made sure that she was as far from the stage as possible. He couldn't remove her nervous, fake smile from his mind. Worst of all, he realized how she never wanted to be with him when he was Mistoffelees. He had always brushed it aside, but she always asked for him to change before she embraced him.

Quaxo wasn't sure what exactly happened, but something in him exploded. He felt a kind of shame that quickly transformed into rage radiate through his body. Was she scared of him? Scared of his magic? That was a part of him! All this time she had never told him! He had always told himself that he would do anything for Victoria, but it felt like this was the one thing that he couldn't accept. His magic was a part of him, and was the part himself that he invested large portion of his identity. She might as well have been terrified of Quaxo as a whole.

Quaxo couldn't help but let out a small growl. However, he managed to maintain control of his features and fought to keep his lip uncurled. "Are…are you scared of me?" His voice was low and deadly.

"Q-Quaxo." Victoria replied meekly. She gazed at him with eyes filled with fear. He wasn't sure if it was fear of his magic or his reaction, but at the moment he didn't even care. He wanted and answer.

"Answer me!" He hissed lowly again. Quaxo quickly realized that he had gotten a little too carried away, and tried to soften his voice. "Please, Viki."

The snowy queen still couldn't meet his eyes. Quaxo reached out and placed a gently sparking paw on per paw. Her eyes grew wide and she immediately snatched her paw away, cradling it towards he chest. That was the only answer that he needed.

Quaxo stood up, not sure what to say, but certain that he needed to leave.

Victoria quickly realized what she had done and stood as well. She held her paws out to stop him, but couldn't seem to make contact with Quaxo. Her paws remained suspended in the air, unable to touch but yearning to reach out. "Q-Quaxo!" She repeated herself through tear-filled eyes. "I mean I thought you knew…after that time I was imprisoned by Macavity…"

Quaxo didn't want to hear her excuses. He knew Macavity had held her captive, but he also knew that she had no problem with womanizing toms like Tugger. And when Macavity appeared, she never looked as remotely terrified as she did now. While it would have been a legitimate reason, he could tell that now she was only fishing for some kind of excuse.

"No, Victoria!" He hissed, making sure she heard him pronounce her full name. "I don't want to hear these excuses." He ignored the shiver along her body and tried his best to avoid her fur dancing in the wind. As angry as he was, some part of Quaxo still wanted to comfort her, to get lost in her embrace. "This isn't something we can dance around. My magic is one of the most important parts of me! If you're going to love me, you need to love _all_ of me, not just things you want to!"

There was silence, as Victoria couldn't think of anything to respond with.

Quaxo allowed some desperation to creep into his voice, as the anger seemed to have faded. "You can't even look me in the eye!" He tried to crane his neck in an effort to catch Victoria's eyes. But no matter how quickly he moved or the angle he placed his head at, she managed to avoid his gaze every time.

Quaxo sighed, exasperated. In agitation he ran his paws through his headfur. He eventually paused, pressing his paws against his eyes as if he had a migraine. "I'm going Victoria. Maybe its best if we don't see each other for a while…"

He began his decent down the junk pile, trying to ignore the hints of sobbing that emanated from the hood of the car. However, his progress came to a halt as a meek and gentle voice broke the near silence. "B-but we can work this out Quaxo, right?"

Quaxo let the question hang in the air, unsure of how to answer. All he knew was, at that moment, he couldn't turn to face her. As much as he didn't want to seem weak, he knew that the moment he laid his eyes on his 'once-love' he would be enraptured once again. He knew that if he succumbed to this moment of weakness, he would never find the strength to turn away again. And if she couldn't accept him as he was, then the two of them would only be harming each other as long as they stayed together.

Finally, in a voice that he had to force to be audible, Quaxo found a response, "I don't know Victoria. I…I don't think so. Goodbye." He quickly jogged out of the clearing, unable to make a slow exit. He knew that he would fall to pieces if he had to listen to Victoria's faint sobs.

Victoria tried her best to stifle her tears. She didn't want him to hear her falling apart. She didn't want him to remember her like that. She couldn't help but contemplate if this was what real loneliness felt like. She had always lived such a sheltered life, she had never felt this level of desolation.

But no matter how depressed she felt, she could hold no blame against Quaxo. She would be the first cat to say that he was right. She had been trying to be his lover while pretending that a major part of his life didn't exist. It wasn't fair to the tom that gave her everything she asked for. She had seen this end coming, but now that it had, she bitterly wished she had actually done something to try and prevent it. What she had done to him was like if he had asked her never to dance again. At the same time, she couldn't help how she felt. Even though she understood Quaxo's argument, he was wrong about her excuses. Somehow, magic seemed to be the only thing that she continued to fear; it was something that she couldn't explain or understand. It was that unpredictability that terrified her.

She turned her eyes back to the sky. The stars now seemed lonely and desolate. They were beacons of islands that she would never reach. She found her mind wandering back to Grizabella. Even though Victoria knew that she hadn't left for love, the downy queen couldn't help but imagine that the glamour cat had found it. Somewhere where Victoria may never see, Grizabella had found a caring tom. Victoria just knew it. No cat could be gone for as long as she was without someone to love. Victoria could only pray that if it had ended, it ended peacefully and filled with gentle kindness. Would Grizabella have found that love if she had never left?

Victoria began to wonder what choices and sacrifices were worth what consequences.

She remained on the car hood the entire night. She didn't know where to go. She didn't want to return to her den, it would only remind her of her loneliness. She obviously couldn't run to Quaxo's den. And the last thing that she wanted was for the tribe to think that he had wronged her. In her emotional state, Victoria decided to stay on the hood of the car all night.

The evening passed, and the next morning found Quaxo still angered, but his fury seemed to have smoldered. However, that didn't stop him from avoiding Victoria's eyes, and when he couldn't avoid her gaze, his eyes were stony and distant.

Later that evening, Quaxo noticed Victoria speaking in hushed tones with Munkustrap on the TSE car. As much as he wanted to remain uninterested, Quaxo couldn't quell his curiosity as the queen hung her head low and continued to shake it at anything the Munk said. The silver tabby seemed agitated and his face was almost desperate. After what looked like an intense conversation, the Jellicle leader finally let out a sigh and gave a nod and a shrug in agreement.

Even though it as clear that Victoria had won whatever argument the two had been having, no happiness entered her features. She looked up at Munk with those sad eyes that could make any tom's heart melt. Quaxo remembered himself being stricken by them more than once. He quickly shook his head of the thought. It didn't matter any more.

With the conversation over, Victoria leaned over and placed and gentle kiss on Munk's cheek before sliding off the car and making her way back towards her den. As she passed other cats, she couldn't even acknowledge their greetings.

Quaxo tore his eyes away from her swaying tail to look back at Munk. He too seemed to be hypnotized by the young queens back, but not in any kind of sensual way. His face seemed to hold that same expression that one does as they watch a dead cat walking.

The next morning, it was announced that Victoria was leaving the tribe. It was an odd complex emotion that radiated throughout the gathering. No one was sure of exactly what to feel. She would definitely be sorely missed, but just as Victoria had said earlier, there was some skepticism, as no one knew why she would want to leave.

Quaxo felt a twinge of guilt painfully jab at the pit of his stomach. He knew what a risk Victoria was taking. From their brief conversation they had before they separated, he knew she was aware of the possible consequences of her actions. He couldn't imagine anyone would treat her like they had treated Grizabella, but nothing like this had ever happened before that he could remember. Quaxo also could only assume that he held some responsibility for her decision. He wanted to run to Victoria and tell her that she didn't need to leave. But he kept his paws planted firmly to the ground and dispersed with the rest of the tribe.

He made no attempt to stop her or tell her goodbye. Whatever decision she made was no longer of consequence to him. A feeling of self-loathing accompanied this thought, but he knew he had to stay strong, for the both of them. It wouldn't be fair to Victoria if he ran to her and made her parting harder after the way he treated her.

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Quaxo sighed as he concentrated on the well-worn book of spells laid out before him. The words began to blur together and the tuxedoed tom closed his eyes clearing his thoughts from the clutter of the spell he had been reading. He had forgotten the danger that accompanied the clearing of his mind. Those crystal blue eyes instantly flashed before him. It had been a little over a year since their owner left the yard, but he could see every detail as clearly as if he had seen them only moments ago.

He could easily recall all the times those eyes had smiled on him. Every time their sparkle caused his heart to melt and his mind to become overwhelmed with emotion. He remembered the days when he would have done anything to have those eyes grace him with a simple gaze. He could also recollect the times when the glaze from a single tear would send his thoughts into a dizzying frenzy as he tried to think of everything he could to remove even the slightest hint of unhappiness from memory. But that also made him remember that time when he caused those tears. He couldn't avoid that fateful night when he had turned his back on her.

Why couldn't he have proposed a compromise? How could he have been so stuck in his own self-conceit and pride? It would have been so easy to try and help her through her issues, but instead he had thrown her fears and weaknesses in her face and left her to pick up the pieces. Having her open up like she had that night had been a hard-won battle, and once he had earned her trust, he had destroyed it.

Quaxo shook his head and opened his eyes to continue reading. But the damage had been done, he had allowed his mind to wonder and there was no way of reclaiming it. Over the months, he had withdrawn into his magic. He was rarely seen in the clearings anymore. He was usually found deep within the recesses of his den bent over a new magic book, or an old one. It actually didn't matter to him, as long as he had something to occupy his mind.

When he wasn't in his den, Quaxo was usually found somewhere on a stage in London. He had continued with his magic career, but at what cost? Every spark and flair somehow reminded him of her. Was his magic really more important than Victoria? Had it really ever been? He knew now that he had only continued with his career in an attempt to forget her. His plan had clearly failed.

He eventually was able to school his mind back into following the complex words on the page, but he soon realized that he needed to reread the entire passage again. Just as he began his third reread of the page he was distracted once more by a loud bustling in the yard.

Quaxo slammed his paws on the open book in frustration letting out a loud groan. He pulled himself up to his back paws and turned to leave his den. He didn't normally ask a lot out of the tribe, but surely they would understand that he needed a little more quiet. Plus, he had to admit that the change in the normal habits of the yard piqued his interest.

The petite tom squinted in the glaring sunlight as he emerged into the main clearing. He began to wonder why he hadn't moved his den to a more secluded area, but he couldn't bear to leave the pipe. There were too many memories tied to it. As he rested his paw on its cool surface, he relived those nights when he had cuddled close to the queen of his dreams and the time he had watched her dance from the pipe entrance.

Once he became accustomed to the light, Quaxo noticed almost the entire tribe gathered around something off on the other side of the clearing. He squinted trying to pierce through the gathering of cats. All he could see were flashes of color, as the cats seemed to weave around whatever was at the center. Whatever was there, the cats were clearly in some kind of celebration.

Quaxo slowly picked his way across the clearing, frequently standing on the tips of his toes trying to catch some glimpse or clue as to what was the source of the joy was. Once he was only a few feet away from the gathering, he froze. Somewhere between Pouncival and Jemima, Quaxo caught a glimpse of snow-white fur and sapphire eyes.

The eyes instantly retreated from Quaxo's stare as Victoria turned to greet the other cats clamoring around her. Quaxo breathed a sigh of relief as he watched the cats welcome her with open arms. At least that fear of hers was for nothing. He also wasn't sure what to do. His anger had faded over time, but he had treated her so horribly he didn't think he deserved kindness and smiles.

Throughout the day Victoria spoke personally with each cat. Quaxo never moved from his spot, just on the outside of the gathering. He received a few odd looks from the other tribe members, but he ignored them. They didn't matter; all that mattered to him was somehow earning a chance to speak with the newly returned queen.

Early in the evening, everyone had had their chance to speak with Victoria, and the gathering had thinned out as the cats moved on to their usual daily business. But Victoria followed Jellylorum away from the clearing. It was painfully obvious that she was trying to avoid him, and Quaxo was in no mind to rush her. Being friends was the most he could ask for. He slowly sulked back to his den and settled at his spell book. However, he couldn't put his mind on the book. All he could think about was how he could approach her and beg for forgiveness.

As his mind continued to plan out various methods of conversation, a knock was heard at the pipe entrance. In frustration Quaxo called out for the visitor to enter as he rested his elbows on the table and covered his face with his paws. He was sure that some cat had taken it upon themselves to tell him that his ex-lover was back.

"Sorry to bother you." Called a nervous voice that Quaxo immediately recognized.

Quaxo jumped to his back paws and spun around, his face a look of pure shock. He held his paws on the table behind him as he tried to support himself. He wasn't sure that his legs would support him with Victoria in the den.

Then it dawned on him: Victoria was in _his_ den. A blush immediately came to his face as a wave of embarrassment washed over him. He had left everything untouched since the day Victoria had left. A few of her ribbons she had left behind still hung over pipe near the bed cushions. The book that she had been reading the night before the ball still sat on a small makeshift end table, a fold still marking her place. The fluffy pink pillow that was always her favorite when she spent the night remained untouched on her side of the bed.

He noticed her eyes glance across the den. There was no way she didn't notice those details, but either way, she didn't say a word. She finally turned her gaze to Quaxo. "Can we talk?" She almost purred, glancing down at her fidgeting paws.

Relief flooded through Quaxo and he felt as if he was going to burst. "O-of course! Please sit down." He replied immediately as he began rushing to and fro as if trying to clean the den, when in fact he was suddenly so full of energy and nerves that he just couldn't sit down.

Finally Victoria convinced the tom to sit down as well, but then an awkward silence filled the den as neither cat knew what to say or had the courage to meet the other's eyes. "Well… how have you been? I mean how are you?" Quaxo quickly blurred his words together in an effort to get a conversation going.

Victoria looked up at him wide-eyes, surprised that he had initiated the conversation. "Oh, good on both accounts. You?"

"Fine."

Silence.

"It's been a long time." She added, realizing that they were going nowhere.

"Hehe, yeah." Quaxo chuckled, scratching his ear with his paw.

Silence.

Both cats started to say something, but then when they realized it was at the same time, insisted that their contribution was unimportant. Victoria took her tail in her paws and began to play with it as Quaxo seemed to look everywhere in the den except at her.

Finally the question that could really start an exchange hit Quaxo. How had he not thought about it earlier? He straightened up in his seat, excited to ask his question. "So, where have you been all these months?"

A smile brushed Victoria's features as her eyes lit up. "A lot of places. I kind of traveled the world; jumped boats and trains and the sorts."  
Quaxo nodded. He really was interested to hear about her travels. "Wow! But I'm really glad they welcomed you back. I mean, it's good they didn't treat you like Grizabella."

Victoria nodded, allowing her gaze to drop again. "Yeah, but I think it helped that I was gone roughly a year. Not really enough time for them to organize their confusion." She gave a hollow laugh.

Quaxo immediately mentally scolded himself for being so stupid. What was he thinking bringing up that night? He wasn't off to a 'great' start. The silence began to build and he could almost feel a physical pressure pushing down on him. He finally caved into his own thoughts and, even though he promised himself he wouldn't so soon, he launched into an apology. "I'm so sorry! F-For everything!"

He noticed the look of shock on Victoria's face and continued to ramble anything he could think of. All he wanted was to earn a genuine smile. "I-I promise that I won't _ever_ perform magic around you! Can we still be friends?"

Victoria's eyes changed from a combination of understanding and shock to something more mysterious and complex. As soon as he completed his last sentence, she seemed to shrink back and withdraw into herself once again. To Quaxo, it felt as if all the air escaped his chest. He quickly figured that she didn't even want to be friends. She had only come to set up boundaries on avoiding each other.

Victoria glanced up at him through long, delicate lashes. She quickly turned to rummage through a bag that he hadn't even noticed she had brought with her. As if holding a delicate treasure, she removed an object that was wrapped in a satin bag. Victoria daintily scooted to the edge of her seat on the stool, leaning towards Quaxo, closing the space between them.

After another glance in the tom's direction, Victoria turned her attention back to the bag in her paws. She rolled the object to rest in the center of her one paw, and with her free paw, she carefully pulled apart the chord that held the bag closed. With the same caution, she pulled the bag back to reveal an object that Quaxo had never seen in person, but had often read about.

Resting on the pad of Victoria's paw was a beautifully polished white talisman that was covered in pictures and other runes. The entire surface of the object was decorated and even adorned with a slight gold gilding. It was a sacred talisman of a shaman tribe found only in the underground cities of Egypt. From what he could remember, it was a powerful talisman of protection to ward off evil spirits. Quaxo was usually one to question such silly baubles, but he knew that this tribe of cats was the real deal. He swallowed hard, not sure what to think.

However, it didn't take him long to notice that her paws were shaking. When he finally lifted his gaze, he realized that Victoria was staring straight at him. He quickly realized what she was trying to prove. Quaxo reached out his paws and cupped hers in his in an attempt to steady them. Even though he was a petite tom, her paws still easily fit in his. He couldn't stem the memories of how right it felt when their paws were intertwined.

Victoria let out a long shaky sigh, but for the first time since she had returned, never let her eyes waiver from his. "I told you I went a lot of places. But I didn't really spend any time in them. They were all stops on my way to one important place. I went to Egypt, Quaxo."

A rush of joy spread through his body as she uttered his name. Quaxo would have sworn that it still had a special ring to it when she said it.

Quaxo turned his attention back to Victoria's story. "I stayed there for most of the year. I-I found those shaman cats you always mentioned. I tried to live with them, I mean I learned to live with them, with their magic…" Her voice trailed off. Victoria wasn't sure how to put the rest of what she wanted to say into words, she could only pray that Quaxo understood. But she knew, deep in her heart, if he didn't understand, she would make him.

Even though he knew what she was saying, Quaxo couldn't ignore her trembling paws or shaking voice. He quickly but gently lifted the talisman and placed it behind him on a stool. He kissed each paw as gentle as one would a kitten. "You did that, for me?"

Victoria's eyes told him everything; she seemed too breathless to speak

Quaxo fell to his knees in front of Victoria, cradling her paws against his face. He reached out with one of his paws to stroke her cheek and catch a single tear that cascaded down her face. "I can't tell you how that makes me feel, how grateful I am. But you don't kneed to strain yourself anymore; you don't have to be scared. I understand everything now. I was so foolish before! I-I want to protect you. But I'm not going to do it with magic; I'll protect you with my bare paws."

Victoria seemed stunned, but she couldn't hide her blush from her snowy completion or a smile of simple joy. Quaxo almost groaned audibly; how he had longed to see those again.

Victoria took Quaxo's face in her paws and leaned forward, resting her forehead against his. "That's not fair Quaxo. I can't ask you to change who you are. You are a magical cat, which really is something to be proud of. I can do it. I can work harder at it. I mean, I bet I could even hug Mistoffelees right now!"

Quaxo smiled at her joke, but shook his head and closed his eyes. "No, from now on Mistoffelees is retired." As he peeked through his eyelids, he noted the shock and guilt on her face and quickly added an addendum, "_But_ I will use my magic whenever the tribe needs it. We'll call it a compromise." He tried to flash his most dazzling smile.

Victoria began to let tears of joy flow as she sank to her knees to be level with her tom. "I think I like that…Maybe we can get back to where we were before." She purred, closing her eyes as well.

Once again, Quaxo shook his head in response. He noticed Victoria's eyes shoot open in concern as she felt his head shake against hers. He chuckled and pulled her into his embrace, "I've missed you so much. I don't think I could bear it if you ever left again…But I don't want to get to where we were before. That wasn't right. We're going to be better."

"Much better." She purred into his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist and squeezing tight.

She never wanted to let go again.

**A/N: Wow, crazy how a one page outline turns into twelve pages! Anyways, I hope you enjoy! (I think this is one of my favorite stories so far that I've outlined). Anyways, please review and let me know what you think! And if I get enough requests, I might be able to make this into a full story, but that's only a possibility. More of your favorite toms to come! :D**


	3. Delicate Flower

**Chapter 3: Delicate Flower**

**A/N: Hey guys. I know I got this out quick, but I really wanted to get this out here tonight. You see, I'm not sure I'll be able to update it until a lot later next week (no earlier than Thursday). So I wanted to give you a little more to read before then. Thanks for all your support and I hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Cats. (Sorry it's not more creative)**

Victoria sat in the middle of her rehearsal clearing with a pretty pout painted on her face. In one fluid movement, she crossed her legs under her and her arms in front of her chest. She glared angrily at a dilapidated wooden chair resting in the recesses of the junk pile directly across from her.

Of course, the chair had never done anything to her, but Victoria just needed an object to direct her anger at, and it was the first thing she saw. She let out a groan and flopped on her back, staring straight up at the sky. She knew she was acting like a complete kitten, but she didn't care, she was just so frustrated.

She was used to her predicament, but for some reason, today was especially agitating. It was the morning after the Jellicle ball. She had been so proud to perform her solos the night before and she thought she had performed them perfectly. However, throughout the entire evening, not once had Tumblebrutus looked at her. She knew that he was such a skillful dancer and she had hoped that this opportunity would show him that she was adept enough to partner with him. But he had been too absorbed in his friends Plato and Pouncival.

The snowy queen groaned covering her eyes with her arms as she folded them over her face. Why did it bother her so much? Why did she care? Tumble and her had always been friends, ever since they were kittens. But once they got a little older, they had naturally grown apart. Victoria grew closer to Jemima and the other female kits, while Tumble hung out with the boys more than her. Obviously this didn't bother her brother, Mistoffelees, in the least, which only amplified her frustration because she had no one to talk to.

Victoria continued to glare at the light that seemed to filter through her crossed paws. She could still picture those looks she had managed to steal from Tumble, but even when she got what she wanted, it still bothered her. Whenever he looked at her, his expression always changed. He never looked at her like her like he looked at the queen-kits. And her name always sounded so different when he said it. She sighed again. Since when did the way a tom looked at her bother her so much?

Victoria also wondered why she felt such a need to impress him? Maybe she just wanted her old friend back. Jemima, Etcetera, and Electra all grown up together. Victoria had begun to feel lonely.

A new idea struck Victoria! Maybe she needed to perform a more powerful dance! Maybe that'd catch Tumble's attention. She quickly rose to her feet and closed her eyes. Her mind played the dance that Tumble performed the night before like a movie. She could see Tumble dancing around the clearing with Misto. The two toms performed powerful jumps and breathtaking turns. Victoria tried to remember every step and every arm extension and began to count the beats in her head. It wasn't too hard. During that time, she had been staring directly at the dancing cats. She could barely even recall Jerrie helping her down the stairs as she prepared for her combo number.

After replaying the routine two more times, Victoria took a step, opening her eyes. She quickly performed a weak imitation of the jump at the beginning of their first routine during the ball. She tried to extend her leg properly, but didn't give herself enough altitude on the jump. She growled at herself before trying again. This time, she jumped high enough to fully extend her leg, but her muscles weren't strong enough to pull back into position and land as gracefully as Tumble had.

Victoria's knees crashed into the ground as the shock radiated through her, rattling her teeth. Victoria bit her bottom lip and an attempt to fight the tears of pain that sprang to her eyes. She leaned forward, placing her paws firmly on the ground in an attempt to shift some weight off of her knees. She was so stupid. This charade was stupid. She just needed to accept that Tumble and her had grown apart. And that she'd never be strong enough to perform the dances that he made look so easy.

A familiar voice broke into her contemplation, "What's this? Are you okay?"

Victoria successfully suppressed the groan of embarrassment and she looked up to see Tumblebrutus crouching in front of her, looking her over to make sure she was okay.

After he confirmed that there were no major injuries, Tumble offered his paw. Reluctantly, Victoria accepted help and let him drag her to her back paws. She started to brush the dust and dirt off her fur, hoping it wouldn't stain.

Tumble instantly started helping brush her knees, skillfully avoiding the spots where bruises were already starting to form. As he worked, Tumble glanced up into Victoria's eyes. "So what happened here, little delicate flower?" He purred with a chuckle.

For a moment, Victoria was lost in his chocolate eyes. They almost matched his brown patches of fur. When they were young, Victoria used to tease Tumble, saying he looked like a mixture of chocolate and cream.

The memory was quickly banished from her mind as Victoria looked away to glare at the ground. She clenched her teeth in frustration and embarrassment.

Luckily, it sounded like he hadn't seen her before she fell. A wave of relief washed over her. She wasn't sure how she would explain to him why she was imitating his dance number. But at the same time, maybe it would have opened the gates and allowed her to open up to Tumble about her feelings.

She shook her head and turned back to the curious tom who had finished his dusting and straightened up. "I just messed up a turn." Her gaze returned to the chair that had received her glares earlier. It was clearly just in the wrong place. Without removing her gaze, she added through gritted teeth, "And could you not call me that? You know how much I hate it." Victoria could feel tears of frustration and embarrassment pricking at her eyelids. Now was not the time to act kittenish!

The patched tom released a bellow of laughter. It quickly filled the clearing, and Victoria realized how much she loved the sound, it was almost like music: like friendly music that sounded similar to home and anyone could harmonize with. Her tears instantly dried up, but she couldn't bring herself to look back at Tumble.

Tumble let his laughter die and acted as if he hadn't heard her last comment. "Are you telling me that you're already practicing for next year's ball?" His voice sounded incredulous, but not surprised.

Apparently, he took her silence as a confirmation. In reality, Victoria just wasn't sure how to respond.

"C'mon Viks!" He purred. "Take some time and _relax_."

Victoria returned her gaze to the playful tom. Tumble stood in front of her, tapping his back paw. His arms were held out at his sides as if indicating something obvious surrounding them. He was beaming from ear to ear. He always looked like he had a fit of laughter just dying to be let free.

A smile started to creep into Victoria's features in response, so she quickly turned away and shrugged her shoulders. She didn't want him to think he could ignore her for a whole night and then just waltz up and tell her what to do. Even though she had been frustrated by his lack of attention earlier, now his nonchalance bothered her. Why did he make her feel so funny? Why couldn't she just be happy with the way things were?

"Would you do it if I called you Delicate Flower?" A sly voice asked. Victoria could hear the laughter hiding just below the surface.

She turned and let out a hiss.

Even with the deadly look in her eye, Tumble simply let loose another bout of laughter and gathered her paws in his. "You know I was joking Viks!"

Victoria relaxed when he used his actual nickname for her.

Suddenly, Tumble's eyes became mischievous as he looked intently in her eyes. Victoria noted that, no matter what emotion he was trying to convey, there was always a sense of gaiety and happiness that seemed to sparkle in his eyes. She couldn't help but find herself leaning closer towards the scheming tom, wondering what trouble he was planning.

Tumble leaned in too, until the two were bent over in some secret conspiracy. If anyone had seen them, it would have been obvious that they were up to no good.

A sly smile soon accented Tumble's curious eyes. His voice was quiet and low, "So Viks…"

Victoria found herself leaning in ever closer, as her curiosity mounted and began to transform into excitement.

"Race you to the top!" Tumble hollered. His smile broke out into a full-blown grin as he dropped Victoria's paws and he lunged for the tallest junk pile near them. His laughter drifted down to her as he began his speedy ascent.

Victoria frowned, angry that she had been duped. Between her anger and her competitive nature, the petite queen sprinted for the pile, launching herself a good two feet before landing on the pile. Her mouth was set in a grim line as she pulled herself up the pile. Tumble's tail was just in reach. She would catch that stupid, stupid tom!

Just as Victoria was almost even with the aggravating tom's tail, she felt herself begin to tumble down the pile. There were no slippery surfaces or precarious items. Her own muscles seemed to be giving out beneath her. She let out a growl as she contracted every muscle in her body to stop her descent. She was not going to let Tumble keep thinking that she was delicate.

A little ways above her, Victoria noticed Tumble pause and turn to look back. She could see him turning around to come and help her. "Don't you dare!" She growled through her clamped jaws. "Don't you dare help me! I want a fair race!" With her last shout, Victoria launched herself up the pile, with every intent of making it back to her previous position. Every muscle in her limbs screamed as more was demanded of them than they were used to. Victoria ignored each shock of pain. She was going to make it to the top.

She didn't even have the time or attention to notice Tumble smile as he turned and hurtled up the rest of the pile.

With no surprised, Victoria reached the summit long after Tumble did. As she pulled the last of her wearied limbs up onto the relatively flat surface, she was greeted with a beaming Tumble. The young tom sat peacefully on a cushion he found at the top, and his tailed swayed playfully back and forth. It didn't even look like he had broken a sweat.

On the other side, Victoria was panting heavily as she felt her face caked in sweat; no one who saw her now would believe that she was considered one of the beauties of the yard. Heck, they probably wouldn't even believe she was a Jellicle. The exhausted queen barely found the strength to lift a fatigued paw in the air. "Not. A. Word." She managed to pant before collapsing and rolling onto her back to stare at the sky.

Tumble's curious face entered her field of vision at an odd angle. If her abs weren't so sore, Victoria would have laughed at the oddity of this viewpoint. Tumble's ears seemed to drop as a look of concern entered his face. "V-Viks?" He asked, cocking his head. But from Victoria's vantage point, it actually looked like he was straightening it.

A smile finally crept into Victoria's features. She let out a soft giggle, but immediately winced when her abs were shot with pain. But she didn't drop the smile, and meekly batted Tumble's drooping ears. "I'm fine goof!" She purred. "But I think I'll be a little sore tomorrow."

Somehow, all the exercise had completely drained Victoria of her anger and frustration. As her muscles relaxed, so did her mind. She inwardly laughed at herself. There was nothing to really be angry about. Tumble was here and with her. Isn't that exactly what she wanted? There was no telling when she would get this opportunity again, she might as well make the most of it.

Tumble let his signature smile grace his face a he plopped down on his back next to Victoria. For a while, all that could be heard was Victoria's panting as she tried to control her breathing.

Eventually a conversation ensued as the two cats watched the sky fade from blue to pink to black. They talked about everything they could think of. They filled each other in on what they had been doing recently. They exchanged funny stories about what each of them had done with their friends.

Even though the exchange was so relaxing, Victoria couldn't help but feel a sting of sadness enter her heart. Their stories only sent home how far apart they had grown. It wasn't what she wanted. She wanted to be best friends like they used to be. Why did they have to grow up? Why did they have to grow apart?

Victoria tried to keep her inner thoughts from bleeding into her voice as she told the story of how Cetty and her had snuck up on Jemima and scared her. Every time she finished a story, Tumble's deep laugh seemed to echo all around her. Victoria found herself scouring her brain for another story. All she wanted was to keep Tumble laughing.

Eventually a multitude of stars began twinkle in the night sky, calling the fireflies out to play. Tumble instantly sprang to his feet and performed a powerful leaping spin and landed gracefully on one knee, paw outstretched.

Victoria rolled her eyes and gave a grunt of mock disgust. How could he find the strength to even get up? This time Tumble had to literally pull Victoria upright. If he hadn't, Victoria would have stayed there all night.

After a bit of teasing, Tumble slung Victoria onto his back and gently carried her down the pile. The monotonous sway of Tumble's body caused Victoria to give in to her exhausted body. As much as she wanted to, she couldn't keep her eyes open. This was the Tumble from her childhood. This was the kind of memories she missed.

The next time Victoria opened her eyes, she was back in her den and daylight was streaming through the holes she used as windows. Victoria sat up as she tried to orient herself. Her thoughts were interrupted and she gasped as pain radiated from every spot on her body. She delicately rubbed as many spots as she could, trying to ease the soreness.

Victoria's muscles eventually calmed down enough for her to try and stand. She rolled off her cushions, but steadied herself on her bookstand as she tested each step before she took it. Eventually, with a slight limp, Victoria was able to make it to the entrance to her den.

All she had done was run up a pile of junk, and the soreness in her muscles was ridiculous. She couldn't let anyone see her like this. She immediately half jogged, half hobbled to her clearing. Luckily few cats went there unless they really needed her. It was her place of solitude where she could practice her solos in peace.

With and audible sigh, she allowed her limbs to collapse under her in a controlled fall to the ground. She rested on her stomach with her head facing the ground. She laid her forehead on her arms, keeping her nose just off the dirt.

Victoria flinched and let out a hiss as she felt a paw poke her in the side. Even just touching her muscles hurt. With as little movement as possible, she tilted her head to see the offensive intruder. All she could see was a glistening chocolate eye right in front of her face.

Instinctively Victoria let out another groan and rolled slightly to free up one of her arms. She gave Tumble a weak shove. She wasn't really able to move him, but Tumble fell back as if he had been mortally wounded. "Ah Viks! Not so hard!" he moaned through some chuckles that crept into his voice.

Victoria ignored him and turned her head back to the ground, resting it once again on her sore arms.

"No dancing today?" He purred, lying down next to her. From her peripheral vision, she noticed that he was imitating her position, except keeping his head on his side to look at her.

"No." She growled, refusing to meet his eyes. "It's cause of you, you know?" She glanced over and was greeted with a look of mock shock. "Yes, you! I'm so sore from your little race, I can barely move."

"I'm hurt! How could you blame me? I'm not even the least bit tired."

Victoria rolled her eyes, not that he could see her anyways. "Well good for you." She hissed, but she let the smile she had tried to keep hidden color her tone.

"It can't be that bad." Tumble replied, rolling on his side as he reached out and poked her again. "Or are you really such a delicate flower?"

"Stop it!" Victoria spat, weakly trying to bat Tumble's paw away.

Tumble seemed unfazed by Victoria's efforts, and continued to poke her. "What is it, Viks? Think the delicate flower will bruise so easily?"

"That's it!" Victoria growled, gathering her paws beneath her. "You are _so_ gonna get it!" With a sudden burst of energy, Victoria was on her back paws and whirled around to face her offender, but it was too late. By the time she was ready to tackle, Tumble was gone and his tail wove a trail up the junk pile. Victoria was too filled with thoughts of revenge to listen to the protest of her muscles. She was up the pile as fast as she could. Even with her sore limbs, she was able to make it to the summit in roughly the same amount of time as the day before.

But, the same as the day before, she once again collapsed in pile beneath her, too tired to exact the revenge she had planned.

Tumble laughed and sat on the same cushion he had the previously. Victoria noted that the cushion looked unusually plush; it clearly hadn't been on the pile long. As she caught her breath, Victoria could hear Tumble's purr fill the silence.

In a combination between plain exhaustion and simply being enraptured by his presence, Victoria couldn't seem to take her eyes off of him. His profile was so handsome and even from his silhouette one could see how strong the tom was. His tailed swished from side to side with complete abandon and his smile made Victoria wonder if anything could really bring him down. Or if he could ever be serious. She rolled her eyes at the last thought and rested a paw on her forehead in an attempt to block out the blinding sun.

"Why do you get the comfy cushion? I'm the one who's exhausted." Victoria whined as she tried to ignore her aching limbs.

A chuckle reached her ears, and Victoria could only imagine the sly smile plastered on Tumble's face. "'Cause I always get here first." He purred. "When you beat me, you are more than welcome to the seat."

Victoria let out an annoyed sigh and let the two of them slip into a comfortable silence.

After a while, Tumble began to hum a familiar tune. Victoria wasn't exactly sure where the song came from, but she could faintly remember it being sung in balls from the past. Eventually Tumble broke from his humming and let his deep baritone voice radiate from his chest and around the clearing. Victoria closed her eyes and let her paw fall to her side. She was content to listen to Tumble sing for a while.

During her rest, Victoria began to contemplate what had gotten into Tumble. They had always been friends, but recently they hadn't spent even half of this time together, but now they seemed to be spending most of their days together. Of course, she was basing this assumption on only two days, but even then, it was still out of the ordinary. But whatever it was, she was grateful for it.

"Hey Viks, you awake?"

Victoria lethargically opened her eyes and attempted to rub the sleep from them. "Hmmm?" She purred half asleep.

Tumble's laughter reached her ears and she instinctively smiled and gave a slight purr. What a pleasant sound. "I think it's time to head back."

Victoria's eyes shot open as she focused on the tom leaning over her. Surrounding his head fireflies danced, competing with the stars for her attention. Even with such beautiful scenery around her, Victoria couldn't take her gaze off of Tumble's smiling eyes.

She tried to sit up, and immediately flopped back down on her back. "Tumble, I don't know if I can."

Another blissful peal of laughter reached Victoria's ears. She felt strong paws wind their way under her arms and around her waist. Victoria felt herself once again hoisted on to Tumble's back as he wound his way to her den.

This time, she was able to keep herself awake for most of the ride. She eventually felt her cushions surround her in their warm folds. Victoria lazily opened one of her eyes in time to catch Tumble leaning over her as he pulled her blanket up to her shoulders. The exhausted queen was too tired to even think of anything to say, and let herself drift back into the world of sleep before she was even able to utter a word of thanks.

That's how the days passed for the next couple of weeks. Everyday, Tumble would find a way to lure Victoria up to the summit of the pile. His methods varied based on Victoria's mood that day. Sometimes he would tease her, others he would simply challenge her. But everyday, he somehow convinced the weary queen to race him to the top where they would sit until sunset.

Victoria didn't notice, but each race caused her muscles to be a little less sore. Each time she came closer and closer to catching up to the muscular tom. He no longer had to carry her back to her den, but he always walked her anyways.

Finally, on a crisp fall evening, the two were collapsed on top of the cushion. Victoria didn't seem to notice, but lately Tumble had grown more and more tired when they reached the top. He actually had to work to maintain his racing prowess. As such, he no longer sat lazily entertaining Victoria, but needed to rest alongside her. Even though he had beaten her to the summit, Tumble didn't even have the energy to fend her away from the much-coveted prize.

He had quickly laid down to rest on the plush cushion and Victoria toppled down on top of him soon after. She smiled as he felt the warmth radiate from his body. His fur ran against hers and caused an odd prickling feeling wherever her cheek touched his arm.

After a few minutes to gather their strength, the two cats sat up to watch the sun set. In the past few days, the soreness left Victoria quick enough that she could actually watch the golden orb sink to the horizon instead of simply watching the sky fade between the colors.

They were sitting so close that Victoria could almost feel a tension in the air between them. She knew that if she simply moved her paw only a few centimeters, she could touch his. She wasn't sure why that urge overcame her, but she quickly fought it away. Maybe she just wanted to make sure that these past events were real? Perhaps she just wanted to take hold of Tumble's paw and make sure he couldn't leave again? All she knew was that she felt so alone when he was away.

The sun finally sank behind the horizon, and Victoria took a deep breath. Why couldn't the sun just stay in place? Why did it have to set? That meant she had to return to her den. It meant another night of praying that this dream wasn't over and hoping that Tumble would greet her again in the morning.

Tumble seemed to sigh as well before he hoisted himself onto his back paws and held his paw out to Victoria as usual. With some reluctance, Victoria placed her paw in is offered one, but needed little help in standing. She felt a shiver run down her spine when he didn't immediately let go. A mischievous smile graced his face as he leaned in towards Victoria like on that first fateful day.

Victoria was suspicious at first, but willingly complied, leaning in and closing the gap between them. Her ear twitched instinctively as Tumble's breath played with her fur when he whispered, "I bet you can do it now."

In shock, Victoria instinctively pulled her head away and cocked an eyebrow in confusion. "What?" She smiled, puzzled by the joke he seemed to be playing.

Tumble turned and gracefully surfed down the junk pile. He landed with ease in the clearing and ran out to the center. He turned towards Victoria and held out his arms as if beckoning her to meet him.

The confused queen carefully picked her path to the clearing and jogged over to Tumble. Once she was close enough, Tumble held out his paws and placed them on Victoria's shoulders, holding her securely in place. His smile grew as he looked steadily in her eyes. Victoria shivered again as he began to speak, "I said, I bet you can do my dance number now, Viks." His smile was gentle and no longer mischievous. Victoria would have almost sworn that a hint of seriousness entered is eyes.

Victoria swallowed hard as she knew what that meant. All those weeks ago, when she had been dancing in the clearing, she had just assumed that he hadn't seen her. Apparently he had been watching her for longer that she thought. Victoria shook her head slowly, brushing some fur out of her face. "I-I don't remember the routine." She stuttered, as a deep crimson crept into her cheeks.

Tumble laughed and began the first two leaps followed by the leaping spin. Victoria quickly began to mimic his dance moves before allowing her memory to take over. She didn't even notice when Tumble stopped in the middle of the choreography and stepped back to watch her.

To her surprise, every move came easily to her. Victoria had no problem gaining the altitude she needed and her muscles easily lived up to the demand placed on them. Victoria continued to dance, but realized with amazement how easy the dance seemed now.

Then it dawned on her; Tumble had been training her all this time. All those races, all those sore muscles, he had only been helping her. It was because of him that she was able to dance. She had originally wanted to perform his number to impress him, but now she was simply filled with a kind of self-pride. She'd like to see him call her a delicate flower now!

Victoria landed on her knees as Misto and Tumble always did. She looked up with a beam spread across her face. She quickly stood and dusted her knees with her paws. She turned to Tumble and crossed her arms as her eyes filled with confidence. "Not so fragile now, am I?"

Tumble smiled and held his arms out to his side as if in mock surrender. He shook his head slowly as he walked to the middle of the clearing. "You're still a delicate flower." He purred as he took Victoria's paws in his.

Victoria's mouth fell open in shock. How could he stick by such a claim, hadn't she just proved her strength? "W-what do you mean?" She stuttered, unsure of her bearings. It felt as if the ground was unsteadily swirling beneath her.

Tumble tightened his grip on her paws in an attempt to steady her. "Exactly what I said, you're still a delicate flower. I watched you grow up from kitten to queen." He looked down at his paws as if searching for an answer somewhere where their paws met. "I can't explain it. At the ball, I saw you dance with Plato, and something in me shattered. I realized that I wanted to be by your side. You are so beautiful and kind and gentle and caring and I could go on." He interrupted himself with a chuckle. "Every aspect there is delicate and precious. I want to protect them; I want to protect _you_ with everything I have. If it would make you smile, I would do anything over and over again. I want you to be _my _delicate flower, to protect and to cherish."

Victoria could only stand there and blink, lost in his words and chocolate eyes.

For the first time ever, Victoria saw Tumble's smile fade and his face became nervous and stressed. "C-could you say something Viks?" Tumble slowly kissed each paw as he glanced nervously back at Victoria. He was clearly worried about what she would say.

"I don't know what to say." She replied, unable to tear her eyes away from his. "I mean, this is more than I could have expected. I thought it was a dream just by being with you for so long…"

Victoria hoped that this answer was enough for Tumble to get her meaning. She could feel her voice getting choked in her throat, because along with his confession, Victoria had learned of her own. It wasn't simple friendship that had driven her thoughts. She didn't just want Tumble by her side, she _needed_ him there. She needed that smile and that laughter as much as she needed to dance. Everything she did she worked around him. She wanted to help him more than herself. Was this that feeling that inspired songs and poems? Victoria was certain that she was in love.

Tumble's smile reappeared as he took Victoria's chin in his paw. He tilted her head back, gazing straight into her eyes. He leaned forward kissing her ever so innocently.

Victoria's breath fled her body as she felt his lips meet hers.

After a brief moment of bliss, Tumble pulled away and glanced at the sky. He turned his eyes back to Victoria with a mysterious twinkle. "Same time tomorrow?" He purred.

Victoria smiled, giddy with a tumult of emotions. "Of course! I still have to win that cushion at the top!"

A burst of laughter filled the clearing as Tumble's deep baritones bounced off the surrounding junk piles. This time, a dainty soprano harmonized with the echoes.

**A/N: This outline was actually even shorter than the previous one. It was only three quarters of a page. Shows you how much I get carried away. But you might already know that. Hehe Anyways, it really does mean a lot when I read your support, and I can't thank you enough for all the reviews. I hope you enjoyed this one as well. And please review! It really drives me to write them faster because the last thing I want to do is disappoint! haha**


	4. Family

**Chapter 4: Family**

**A/N: Well, I'm going to let you read this. I'm a little torn between it. But I'd love to hear your opinions! I really have to thank everyone who has reviewed the story so far! It really means a lot to me, and I hope you're enjoying them. There's kinda an offer that I didn't mention before: If you really love a story, review or PM me. Some of them I've considered into making full stories, but I'm not planning on it unless people are really going to read it. It's kinda an inspiration thing, you know? Anyways, enough of that, you're here for the story! :P**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Cats. **

I stretched out in the sun, letting my fur soak up the warmth from its rays. A purr began to rumble from deep in my chest. My vest assisted in absorbing any extra warmth. I let my tail sway gently back and forth in complete satisfaction.

I managed to push Jenny and the rest of the yard from my thoughts and was able to take in the refreshing air and the majestic scenery. Some time ago the train had somehow managed to break away from the congestion of the city and green trees and crystal rivers had been speeding by all day. But I knew that that meant we would soon be pulling into Gallowgate, and I was loathe to leave the peace of the scenery behind.

Reluctantly I gathered my paws under me and stretched as I prepared my body for activity. I would need to make sure that the passengers successfully departed, left nothing behind, and perhaps some slight cleaning before the new passengers boarded. I may even check in on the cargo car and make sure the employees were working smoothly. And somewhere in there I was hoping to sneak a few minutes to stretch my legs on the platform.

I breathed in the last of the country air as I watched the boarder of the city grow on the horizon. I smiled as the train blasted its whistle, letting the town know of its immanent arrival.

Once I had my satisfaction of the clean air, I turned and headed for the front of the car. I had been sleeping in the luggage car as the train had sped on its path. It was the only car that always left the windows open, allowing me to feel the speeding breeze and take in all the sights and sounds of travel.

Jenny had always laughed when I told her about the joys of my journeys. She would just tell me that she really did believe me, but would leave those small joys to me; she was content to stay in the yard. I could still picture her brown eyes sparkling with the smile she always seemed to have. I constantly found myself following her tiger stripes with my eyes as she continued with her cross stitch…

All that didn't matter any more. It was over.

I shook the images from my head as I nudged the car door open. I braced myself against the sudden rush of wind as I was exposed to the outside air. Through squinted eyes and windblown fur, I deftly jumped the space between the carts and landed easily on the small platform of the car in front of me. This car had a small cat flap, and a grin spread across my face as I remembered the day they decided to install the contraption.

Gently, I pushed my face against the flap and slinked into the car. I was greeted with bright lights and dimmed conversation. The passenger car was always my favorite, with all the sounds and excitements. How could I turn down a scratch behind the ear and a treat or two?

With all the authority I could muster I began to meow at the passengers in a voice that I had mastered as commanding but polite, letting them know that we would soon be at the stop. The ladies giggled as I passed while all the gentlemen and the train employees tipped their hats or dipped their heads in respect. My chest puffed out with pride as I continued to call to the passengers.

The train finally pulled to a stop and I took my usual spot at the foot of the ticket master. Sitting as smartly as I could, I gave my vest a quick straighten before straightening by back to say my farewells to the passengers. As each one left I gave a short goodbye mew and received a polite nod in return.

After the last of the passengers departed, I quickly sprang to my paws and began my usual check. Any trash I could find lying on the floor or stuffed in the seats I swiftly gathered and deposited them in the car trashcan. Most other items that needed addressing were a little too large for my small Jellicle frame to handle. I would leave those to the employees, and check back before the new passengers boarded the car.

I deftly jumped back onto the cargo car, though it was a lot easier now that I wasn't fighting any wind, and peeked in to make sure that the baggage men had begun to unload. I also wanted to make sure that they were doing it with the most respect and delicacy that they had, as they should. Nothing rubbed my fur the wrong way than seeing incompetent baggage men throwing other people's luggage around without a care in the world.

I gave a curt nod then leaped out of the car. I landed as expertly as all cats do, and gave a quick glance at the station clock. We were right on schedule. We would depart as soon as the engine was watered and the new passengers' tickets were punched. I let out a sigh, happy that the trip had been smooth so far.

As I was contemplating the words "Night Mail" emblazoned in golden letters on the engine when I was distracted by some kind of scuffle near the luggage car at the end of the platform. I swiveled my ears in an attempt to pick up the source, and soon discovered what sounded like a group of cats was the origin.

I quickly trotted down the station, ready to squash the conflict and send the troublemakers away. However, I wasn't ready for what I saw.

A large group of cats stood in a small mob, all facing the train, though I couldn't quite tell what they were looking at as a pillar obstructed my view. As I drew closer, I realized that the group was the source of the noise, as they seemed to hiss and spit at whatever was hiding behind the pillar. I also noticed that the gathering was made up of mostly queens, but a few toms were scattered throughout as well. If I had to guess, I would've said that there were at least twenty cats gathered. I wasn't sure what was going on, but I knew that the gathering was starting to become conspicuous, and I needed to get them away from the Northern Mail as soon as possible.

If I thought the sight of the gathering of cats had surprised me, I was in for a shock when I drew close enough to just see past the pillar. Standing erect and statuesque in front of the animated crowd was a beautiful, alabaster queen. Her fur was so white that I was sure that it would have glimmered in almost any light. I couldn't see a single blemish of color on her, except for her petite pink nose. The queen was lithe and small, like the Jellicles back home, and she could only be few years out of kittenhood.

I drew even closer and the scene became complete. The snowy queen stood in front of the angry crowd, staring blankly ahead as if waiting for the call to board. Behind her, the cats continued to yell. What shocked me was that they seemed to be hurling insults at the young looking queen. Some of them were so harsh that it would have made Jenny blush.

I would have sworn that the snowy queen was deaf, they way she kept her stoic expression through all the insults. But that wasn't true, because every once in a while, I saw her ears flick back in irritation as particularly harsh insults were flung; most of those included statements of whore, or telling her that she wasn't wanted. Her jaw was set in a strict line, and I could tell that she was clenching her teeth in frustration. It must have been taking everything she had to act as if the mob didn't bother her, or even exist. I wouldn't have been able to do that.

It didn't take long for me to become fed up with the scene, and I quickly trotted over, head held high with authority. "Can I help you?" I asked, trying to sound as professional as possible, even though my mind was screaming for them to shut up.

The mob of cats quickly hushed and settled down, taking on the demeanor of polite cats. The queen herself remained as statuesque as ever, and kept her head held high. Her blue eyes glanced toward me. After she quickly sized me up, she focused her gaze back on the Night Mail.

A plump, portly queen stepped forward. She would have been slightly attractive if she didn't have such a venomous look on her face, and her eyes seemed clouded with malice. "Yes, sir! I hate to place such a burden on you, but you must take this _trash_ out of Gallowgate immediately!"

I felt my fur begin to rise in anger and I could feel my nerves on edge. I couldn't stand someone telling me what to do with my job, and for some reason, it really bothered me the way they were treating the young cat. But I also knew that my job was to be as polite to the public as possible. I gave the queen a curt nod before turning to the downy figure of self-control. "I can't make you board ma'am, but if you would like a ride on the Midnight Mail, I would be more than happy to provide all the accommodations you need."

The queen glanced back at me and looked me over more studiously this time. I could tell she was weighing my words against my expression, trying her best to gauge my sincerity. I could only hope that she could tell that I meant her no harm. After making her own silent judgment, I thought I saw a soft smile enter her eyes. She gave a gentle nod, "Thank you." Her purr was soft and a lilting kind of music seemed to dance in her voice.

I put on my best host smile and held out my elbow to her. She demurely took my offered arm and we walked towards the luggage car. Behind us, I heard the same queen that had assumed leadership hiss, "And don't come back you little tramp!" The two of us pretended as if we didn't hear a word.

Luckily, the baggers had finished unloading and loading, and the cargo car would not be disturbed again. I jumped up to the platform and then turned to offer help to the delicate looking queen. She gave a feint smile and then leapt to the platform without any help at all.

"You may sit anywhere you like in this car, but please refrain from getting _inside_ anyone's luggage." I thought I saw a hint of laughter in her eyes as I said those words, but continued, "Anyways, I've gotta make sure everyone boarded properly, and then give the signal. I'll be back as soon as the train is underway."

I simply received a polite nod, indicating that she had heard. Not wanting to shirk my duties or remain in the awkward silence with the queen, I quickly turned on my heel and headed for the passenger cars.

After the "all-clear" signal was given, I began my trot back to the luggage car. I realized, ashamedly, that I had performed my duties only half-heartedly. I just couldn't get the new feline passenger out of my mind. I swiftly jumped to the luggage platform and nudged my way past the door.

I found my guest seated at the very top of a securely tied down pile of crates. The mound was conveniently placed right next to the window. It was so close that if she simply fell off the crate she was on, she would tumble right out of the train. At first, a sudden feeling of terror gripped me for some reason but after examining her calm face with her downy fur blowing in the wind, my fears fled me. For some reason, I could just tell that she was in complete control of herself.

I jumped up to the top of the pile and sat myself down a few feet away from her. Only a slight flick of her tail indicated that she acknowledged my existence. I examined her face as she watched the world rush past. I could tell from the way the wind played with her fur and her eyes glimmered in the light that she was a real beauty. It wouldn't matter where she was, she would always catch toms' eyes and attentions.

We rode for a while in silence. I was unsure of what to say, and I don't think she really cared. After a few seconds, I was ready to snap and just say something, but before I decided on what to say to her, the queen interrupted me, "Thank you. I feel I've been rude. But I really must thank you for treating me so kindly at Gallowgate." Even as she spoke, she continued to stare ate the window, watching the world transform into a blur.

I was taken aback, unsure of how to respond, "I-It was nothing, lassie." I stuttered in my astonishment. Somehow I had said something worthy of a small smile, but nothing further was said. But now that the conversation was open, I couldn't suppress my curiosity any longer. "If you don't mind my asking, why were they driving you out of town?"

The queen's smile dropped as she sat silent for a while. She eventually turned to face me, her eyes searching mine. After a moment of contemplation, a false smile came to her lips as a kind of sadness entered her eyes as they dropped to her paws. "Didn't you hear? I believe it was a combination of being a slut, a bad influence, and I think I heard some catnip usage."

I rolled my eyes, and laid down on the crate, glancing between the queen and the window. "Why did you _really_ get run out?"

Her eyes found mine again, and a more sincere smirk came to her face. "My name is Victoria. It's a pleasure to meet you too." Was there a small chuckle in her voice? Did she have a sense of humor?

After a brief moment's reflection, a blush spread across my face as I could feel the heat of shame as I realized how rude I was. "Oh, ah. Yes. Ahem. I'm so sorry. My name is Skimbleshanks, the railway cat."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Skimbleshanks." She paused to glance back towards window before turning another gracious smile in my direction. "Anyways, I was run out for many complex reasons, I guess. Most of which really is my fault."

I was surprised, I had never actually assumed that Victoria held any guilt in the matter.

She continued, unable to look away, it was as if she was daring me to break my gaze. "I mean, it's hard to explain. Maybe it was nerves?" She seemed to be contemplating her answer as she spoke. "Cats fear that which they don't know, and even though I knew that, I didn't care. I entered into the main junkyard of Gallowgate, and tried to keep to myself. I'm not a very outgoing, social queen. And I never really had a family to relate to. But when one keeps to themselves, it worries others. And when no one knows anything about the stranger, it doesn't help the case either. Plus, with no pride or self-conceit, it's hard to keep a low profile when you look like this." She glanced down at her pristine paws.

"And even when I knew what was happening, I pretended not to. I probably actually even withdrew further into myself, making my problem worse. So they decided I needed to leave since they were scared of me. So they made reasons. And with the way I had acted, there was no one there to defend me." She let out a dainty sigh. "It's just on to another city."

I stood there stunned. How do you comfort someone after that story? I had no idea how to react, and I became restless. I sat back up and glanced out of the window. "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." It sounded lame, even to me.

I heard her throaty laugh. "What about your home Mr. Skimbleshanks?"

I glanced at her in some surprise. For all she knew, I lived on the train. How did she know there was another place that held my heart?

Her smile grew wider as she looked back at my shocked eyes. "I'm sorry. You don't have to tell me. But you are so kind…too kind. I only assumed you had to have a good home, a good family. I wanted to know what it was like."

Victoria seemed even more like a kitten as her sapphire eyes grew wide, hoping to hear even a small response to her request. How could I refuse? I cleared my throat, excited to tell her of the Jellicles. "Well, in the heart of London, there is a junkyard where a tribe of Jellicles gather." I noted her cock her head at the word. I smiled, "Describing Jellicles is a difficult matter. I'll explain them some other time. But it is one of the gentlest, most kind, loving tribes you'll ever find. They love to sing and dance… They care about each other. No one wants for anything. It's like paradise."

I looked down to see that Victoria had closed her eyes as she pictured the image I painted for her. When I had stopped my description, she peeked at me through a cracked lid. "But you're here…"

I was taken aback, partially due to her boldness, but also because of her perceptiveness. Even so, I wasn't going to let her think she had pinned me. "Th-this is my job. I work a ride or two…"

She shook her head and stretched her limbs out. Every movement seemed graceful and luxurious. I could definitely see why she wouldn't blend into the background in any yard. She cast her gaze back out at the blurs of green and blue and gave a small titter, "You said 'they', not 'we'. You don't intend on going back." She gave a sad smirk, "I know the feeling."

A few moments of silence passed and she turned to face me again. This time, however, most of her coolness seemed to have vanished and a look of sympathy and concern replaced it. It was almost a motherly expression, so warm and caring. "So what's her name?" She purred.

I felt my mouth fall open. Did she know about Jenny? She couldn't! So how did she…? I could tell from the look in her eyes that perhaps I wasn't hiding my feelings as well as I thought I was. I let a sigh escape. Maybe discussing things would help clear my mind. "Her name is Jennyanydots. She's one of the Jellicles."

Victoria gave a solemn nod as I hesitatingly began. Her eyes were glued to mine, but not in a defiant dare as before, but in a sense of kind understanding.

"She the most sincere queen you'll ever meet. She cares for everyone before herself. I loved her. And she loved me..." I trailed off, thinking of those kind chocolate eyes glistening with joy.

Victoria seemed enraptured with my story, her face was set with earnest anticipation. "So…why did you leave?"

Normally I would have balked at such an intrusive question, but I had already come this far, and I had a feeling that Victoria meant well. "Well, as I said she thinks of everyone before herself. One of the things she wants most in life, is a family. Her life would be complete if she had kittens. But I'm not the fatherly type. I don't know how to take care of others, and I leave periodically. In truth, kittens just scare me… everything I do could influence them… what if I was a horrible father…?

"After a while, she stopped talking about a family. But I knew better. It was her way of taking care of my wants over hers. She still wanted kittens, but she didn't want to make me feel uncomfortable, so she pretended. I knew that she would never admit to it, but I also knew that I was making her sad…So I left, without saying a word. I figured she deserved better, and maybe if she saw me as heartless enough, she would realize it too."

I tried to steal a glance at Victoria's face, but it was as expressionless as the time we met. I couldn't tell if she was judging me or not. I felt like my confession was just the same as the trees that blurred past her. She stole a quick glance down at her paws as they fiddled in front of her. I seemed like a flash of sadness entered her eyes, but they quickly regained their stoic expression. "So how long have you been working on trains?"

What had I expected after sharing such a personal, possibly awkward moment with Victoria? Was I hoping that this was like storybooks and she would enlighten me with some kind of insight? I didn't know, and while the change of subject didn't surprise me, it was a little disheartening. It took me a while to find my words, but I eventually did. We spent the rest of the day talking about different models of trains and what I thought of each one.

The next morning I went about my usual business. I left Victoria asleep in the luggage car and began my patrol of the few passenger cars on the Night Mail. As I expected, the lack of children made my job easier as every one behaved properly.

After I went back and forth on the cars a few times, I padded my way to the ticket master's room. I scratched at the door to let him know that I had completed my rounds, and was ready for breakfast. As I heard the scratch of a chair being pushed back, I sat at attention, waiting for him to open the door.

The door quickly swung open as I was greeted with a round man who never seemed to lack a smile on his face. "Hey-o there Skimbles! Easy morning today, eh? Didn't see a single kid, your kind o' train ride."

I puffed out my chest at the praise, a smile spreading across my features.

He chuckled as my show of pride. "Well, as always dear lad, you deserved this." The large man reached behind him and pulled something off of a shelf and bent over to delicately place it in front of me. As usual, a small bag of old, dry cat food seemed to be hunched over in front of me. It wasn't anything high quality or special, but it's not like I could expect much else, they were taking care of me out of their own pockets.

I gave a polite nod and picked up the bag in my teeth and trotted towards the back of the train.

I heard the ticket master's bellowing laughter echo down the hall. "Haven't worked up an appetite yet?"

I couldn't tell him that I had stowed another cat on the train.

The roar of the train speeding through the countryside hit my ears as I entered the car. I figured she had opened the window again. Instinctively my eyes shot to the top of the pile we sat on yesterday, and as I expected Victoria sat, staring out at the blurry countryside.

The bag dropped to the floor with a bump and I called out to Victoria, "I have breakfast, lass!"

Her eyes met mine and a sheepish smile came to her face. She delicately slid the window closed, and a silence spread through the car. Victoria carefully picked a path down the pile before gracefully landing in front of the bag.

Victoria glanced at the bag, her eyes showing her hunger, but she immediately dropped her gaze and mumbled, "You didn't have to…"

I drew myself up to my full height as a began to open the bag. "I did, you're my guest."

She gave a submissive nod as I scooped a pawful of chow in front of her.

Victoria leaned over and sniffed the pile of dry goods and immediately recoiled, her nose crinkled in a grimace. "You eat _that_?" She mewed as she took a step back and started to turn away from the pile.

I turned a steely gaze on the queen. I knew it wasn't really my business, but she was young, and I had assumed care for her. Plus she didn't know anything about being on a train. "Listen here, lassie!" I snapped, putting more authority in my voice then I meant to. "This here is the food your host brought you. Additionally, I keep this train spik and span! The mice don't even _try _to live here anymore. You are going to eat this or not at all."

Victoria's eyes grew large, she clearly wasn't used to being spoken to like that. She looked back at the food as words seemed to fail her.

I let out a sigh and smile, pushing the pile closer to her. "I'm sorry Ms. Victoria, but it's true." I tried to put a little more politeness in my voice to make up for my previous harshness.

"I'm sorry." Victoria mumbled as she began to hesitantly chew her kibble. I quickly hid my smirk in my own pile as we ate in silence.

It wasn't long before the two of us sat contentedly at the base of a luggage pile, contemplating our full bellies. Victoria turned to me with one of her coy smiles. "It actually wasn't that bad." She purred.

"I know." I mused, closing my eyes for a quick catnap before I went on another round.

And thus began the misadventures of the snowy Victoria and I. It seemed that not a single peaceful day could go by on our trip to London.

One morning, I had taken Victoria out of the luggage car to see the rest of the train. I knew that her manners were refined enough that nothing bad could happen if we toured. In fact, humans actually really adore pure white kittens. I just had to make sure that all the attention didn't go to Victoria's head. She was still my guest, not a passenger in the first class.

After the humans had gushed over her, Victoria mentioned that she wanted to see what made the train go so fast. I was hesitant at first, but what cat can deny such a curious mind. I quickly told her I would take her to up to the engine, but she had to follow me closely and do exactly as I instructed her.

I received a promise.

We began walking towards the engine, and it wasn't long before we passed the coal bed. I quickly indicated towards it with my tail, explaining that the coal is what actually provides the power for the entire train.

Victoria mentioned that she wanted to see the coal, fascinated to see what all that power looks like. I chuckled, knowing she would be disappointed. Yet, I wanted her to see for herself, so over my shoulder I told her she could have a quick look. I kept walking though, knowing that she would grow bored and soon catch up.

However, it didn't take long for me to notice that she didn't catch up as soon as I thought she would. I assumed she had been distracted by something else on the platform. As I turned to locate Victoria, my hackles immediately rose in horror as I performed one of those little jumps where you land with all four paws spread, as if readying for impact.

Balancing precariously on the edge of the coal bed, the dainty white queen was leaning further and further over, as if trying to touch a piece of coal. I could see the wind whipping her headfur. "Victoria!" I shouted as I sprinted towards her.

Apparently that wasn't the right thing to do, because as soon as I shouted, Victoria jumped in surprise and went tumbling into the pile of coal. My mind reeled as it contemplated al the ways she could have hurt herself. I wasn't sure why, but I just felt like I had to protect this young queen, no one else in her life had.

I reached the edge of the bed, and peered over, praying that everything would be okay. Suddenly, I could barely suppress a burst of laughter as I took in the scene in front of me. Laying clumsily on top of the coal pile was a white, gray, and black queen. Victoria was completely covered in coal, and if it wasn't for the few spots of her white fur being visible, I wouldn't have been able to locate her. She had been completely covered in the black dust.

Victoria's arms flailed as she made her way towards the edge and me. She looked like a pitiful kitten in sinking sand. I couldn't old the laughter in anymore as I held out a paw to help her back onto the platform. As I dragged Victoria out, a small pout appeared and she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"It wasn't that funny."

My laughter only doubled as I looked into her embarrassed blue eyes, now surrounded by stained, black fur. "You're gonna need a bath, a water bath! Can't lick that stuff off, you'll get sick."

Her eyes grew so wide I thought they were going to pop out of her head.

I don't think I'll ever forget the fight she gave me as I dragged her back to the luggage car, or her howls of anger as I tried my best to clean her with some water I stole from the passenger car. In the end, she looked as good as new, except for some damp fur and her bottom lip pushed out as she moped for the rest of the day.

It didn't end there either. There was another time where she somehow managed to anger a dangerous looking peke at one of the stations. Luckily I was close enough to defend her _and_ that the peke was weak enough to take my bluffs seriously.

I swore to her that I lost a significant portion of my nine lives following her around. I was simply answered with a musical laugh as she settled down for sleep.

It also became a habit of hers to wake in the middle of the night, caked in sweat from some nightmare or other. She never told me what happened in her dreams, but she did say that she always ended up alone. Eventually, we had grown close enough that she allowed me to comfort her during these times, as I tried my best to make her forget her nightmares and know that she wasn't alone.

After a few weeks, we finally pulled into the London Station, the end of the line. The thought had entered my mind the day before, but I couldn't shake it. What if I went back to the yard, like I normally would? Would Jenny still be waiting, or would she have moved on by now? No, I had to stay strong. I couldn't go back to the Jellicles anymore, it wouldn't be fair.

I tried my best to clear my mind as I said my farewells to the passengers. I just couldn't keep Jenny out of my head as I headed back towards cargo for my final goodbye of the trip.

Victoria was sitting on the outside platform, which made sense since the workers were busy unloading the bags. It was weird to see the queen without the wind toying with her fur. I sat down next to her, watching the now stationary scenery. What was going through her head? All I knew was that I wasn't sure how to say goodbye. It had been nice to have someone to talk to during what could have been the loneliest part of my life.

Moments passed, and eventually I noticed Victoria had turned to look at me. I glanced back and was surprised to be greeted with a true smile. Not one of the small, barely sincere ones that she dropped like rain, but a full-blown smile. It was warm and kind, and probably one of those smiles that younger toms would die to be graced with.

"I think you should go back." She purred, her tail swaying hypnotically back and forth. "The Jellicles are in London, right?" She pursued after a moment of silence

I gave a surprised nod, unsure of where this was going.

She laughed, her smile not dropping an inch. "I mean it really is up to you. But I can tell you love Ms. Jennyanydots. And if you ask me, you _are _ready for kittens and you would make a wonderful father. I can't stop thinking of all you have done for me. I've been a real three-month-old on this trip. Which, by the way, I am sorry but grateful you put up with. All those things, like making me eat my food, and comforting me, and protecting me…but most important, you're loving and kind. I know I'm being extremely forward as usual, but I think you deserve that happiness."

Victoria finished her speech and closed her eyes in satisfaction, feeling the rays of the sun warm her fur.

And as much as I didn't want to admit it to myself, she was right. Maybe I was ready. Did I really think that I could live without Jenny at my side? And if what she said was true, maybe I could be a father… it was almost too large of a realization to put into thoughts.

Even though my mind was racing, it quickly returned to Victoria. "So I deserve that happiness, hm?" I paused as I saw her smile grow wider as she nodded. "What about you, lass? What will you do now in London?"

She opened her eyes as her smile fell a bit. She stared contemplatively at the grass on the ground beneath the platform. "I don't know. I'll probably find a small suburb kinda place, maybe an alley. It's never too hard to find a place to lay your head down."

My heart almost broke. This young queen, who had been through so much, deserved happiness more than I ever did. I didn't think she had a malicious bone in her body; the entire time, she rarely acted selfishly. Here I was, running from a possible family and those I loved, and she was practically crying for it.

"What if you came to the yard? The Jellicles would love to get a new member!" I offered.

Victoria's head shot up and she looked at me with suspicious eyes. It was that same look she had given me so many weeks ago as she weighed my honesty in her mind. Even so, I could still see the small spark of hope ignite in her eyes. "W-would they like me?"

I chuckled as I took in her words. I couldn't think of any cats who could be more understanding than the Jellicles. Demeter's skittish behavior was a prime example. "I think they'll love you. And if they don't…" I reached out and placed a paw on top of hers, giving it a squeeze, "Now you'll have someone to defend you."

A melodious purr erupted from her downy chest as Victoria chose to believe my words.

I immediately jumped down and held out a paw for her. She took it and leapt down with a newfound joy that I had never seen before. Her entire demeanor seemed to have changed as we began our path towards the city junkyard.

As we drew closer, I could hear the sound of laughter and singing waft through the air. I immediately picked out Jenny's beautiful laugh. I could only hope that she would still laugh for me.

Victoria's grip on my paw tightened as she picked up the sounds of the yard as well. I turned to her and noticed that she was quickly trying to blink tears from her eyes. I gave her paw a reassuring squeeze. "Ready?" I whispered.

The alabaster queen nodded vigorously, using her free paw to wipe the tears tracing lines down her face. "I'm going to have a family." She mewed as we crossed through the junkyard gates.

**A/N: So…. I'm not sure how this turned out of if I like it. I have been watching too many western movies that follow something similar. I really liked the idea in the outline, but after writing it, I'm on the fence. So let me know what you think, pretty please! Review! :)**


	5. My Butterfly

**Chapter 5: My Butterfly **

**A/N: So, I'm not going to say too much. I really love this chapter and I don't want to ruin it. Though I must warn you, there is some adult themes. Not bad or graphic… just kinda brief ideas..**

**Disclaimers: I don't own Cats, or the Josh Groban song, or the song from **_**Next to Normal**_**. It's a unique combination, right?**

Laughter trickled across the meadow as a mottled, copper tom joyfully ran through the dancing grass. Close behind him followed a lithe, white queen mirroring the tom's every stride. The two cats' tails trailed behind them as if they were brightly colored comets streaking through a sky of prairie.

Suddenly, midstride, the tom twirled around and held his paws out, ready to catch the oncoming queen. Her sapphire eyes grew wide as she realized the inevitable, and ran full speed right into the tom's chest.

Even through her surprise, the queen couldn't suppress her giggles as she felt the tom securely wrap his paws around her waist while they tumbled to the ground. She closed her eyes, readying for the impact. She felt the tom make contact with the ground as her head hit his chest.

She heard a deep, rumbling laughter erupt from under her ear. The queen placed her paws daintily on his cream chest and lifted her head to rest her chin on the back of her paws. She turned her glittering eyes and dazzling smile towards him. She happily peered down into deep brown eyes. They were so brown that somehow it was hard to tell the pupil from the iris, but that only made her want to stare into them longer. And no matter what was happening around them, the queen knew those eyes were the always full of warmth and comfort, just for her.

"Plato! What was that for?" She purred trying to fake a grimace, but it simply turned into this odd combination of a smile and a frown.

Another bout of laughter filled the queen's ears, erasing any trace of that fake scowl. Plato propped himself up on copper elbows, intently gazing into the crystal blue eyes shimmering in front of him. He gently shifted his weight so as not to disturb the queen's delicate perch and still place all his weight on one arm. With his now free paw, the spotted tom carefully traced the queen's jaw line, causing another explosion of giggles. "I dunno, Vik. I just heard ya laughin' and I suddenly wanted ta hug ya, at that exact instant. So I turned around." As Plato finished his story, he leaned forward and kissed Victoria's button, pink nose.

Victoria crinkled her nose and quickly scratched the itch that sprung from his touch. She rolled her eyes and made a second attempt at frowning, "Well next time you should warn me."

Plato smirked his crooked grin and entangled his paw in her head fur. "Then you're never goin' to get me to shut up. But maybe I will next time…" He purred. Then, without warning, Plato rolled over, knocking Victoria off his chest and onto the ground. He rolled over her, supporting himself with his muscular paws. He leaned down, not once dropping his smirk and tenderly kissed Victoria.

After a moment, Victoria released another bout of giggles. One would have thought that the tom was the new Tugger in the yard. To Victoria, he was even better; he was Plato.

The tom pulled back to gaze into her laughing eyes before another brief kiss and then standing. He held his paw out to her and easily pulled the petite queen to her back paws. He assisted in brushing the dust and dirt off of Victoria's snowy fur.

Plato cupped her chin in his paw and leaned forward to whisper something in his queen's ear. A blush spread across her cheeks and she turned away as sheepishly as she did when he brushed against her the time they danced at her first Jellicle Ball together.

He entwined his paw with hers and pulled her across the field. Eventually they made it to the trunk of a tree and Plato settle down. He reclined against the trunk and cradled himself in its roots. Victoria gracefully lowered herself next to him and conformed her body to his side. She settled her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his waist. Plato gently lifted his paw and encircled her shoulders, gathering her close to him.

"Remember the first time I brought you here?" He purred. Watching the sun begin to sink below the horizon. As he realized the sun was no longer ascending, a kind of anxiety gripped Plato's stomach and he felt like he was going to be sick. Plato closed his eyes from the offending sight. He couldn't let Victoria on to his feelings; it was something that he knew he couldn't share.

Before the pleasing sound even reached his ears, Plato could feel Victoria's purr vibrate through her body. "Of course I do, silly. It was right after my first ball." Her arms gave his waist a gentle squeeze as she recollected the memory. "We danced together and you whispered to me that you wanted to show me something the next day. And it was here that you asked me to be your queenfriend."

Plato's own purr erupted in a deep baritone. He was thrilled to know that that memory and this place meant just as much to Victoria as it did to him.

Her purr amplified as she continued, "And it was also here that you asked me to become your mate." She snuggled her face deeper into his chest. "And, obviously, it was here that I accepted."

The purr in Plato's throat hiccupped and choked as Victoria finished. He quickly transformed the choke into a cough, hiding his lapse in self-control. He could feel Victoria's head shift as she turned to look at up at him through long lashes. Plato noted the look of concern in her eyes and quickly smiled and patted his chest, as if clearing it.

Luckily, that was all she needed, and she returned his smile and settled her head back on his chest. "I can't wait until the next ball, when it'll be official." There was a pause. "Plato, when we're mates, nothing's going to change, right? We're not going to start fighting, like Bomba and Tugger, or be boring like Skimble and Jenny…"

Plato couldn't suppress his laugher at her naive statement. Yet at the same time, he found his words failing him. How could she know that that was such a loaded question? So instead of directly replying, Plato deepened his purrs and kissed the top of Victoria's head.

He closed his eyes again, this time in contemplation. It wasn't long before Victoria tore him from his thoughts as she unwrapped her paws from his waist and began to tug on his arm. "Plato look!" She called.

The copper and cream tom lazily opened his eyes; curious as to what Victoria had seen. "Hmm?"

He watched Victoria as she padded forward on her paws a few steps, her eyes intent on something in the grass.

Plato leaned forward, though not quite as far, trying to figure out what she was looking at. After craning his head a few more inches, Plato noticed that Victoria wasn't looking at something in the grass, but _on_ a blade of grass.

"Look! Look at that butterfly, Plato." She mewed.

As graceful as any of Victoria's dance moves, a russet and white butterfly flapped its wings in the dying light. Plato gave a quick chuckle at himself for a moment as he realized it seemed like everything reminded him of his snowy queen. He only let his contemplation last for a moment before focusing back on the butterfly.

Her musical laughter reached his ears as he watched her lean even closer. "He looks just like you!"

Plato puffed out his chest in fake offense. "I look nothing like a bug, thank you."

Victoria giggled again and rolled her eyes. "I know that, goof!" She glances back over her shoulder with that smile that would always make his heart race. "I _mean_ that he has the same colorings as you! Look at its coppery spots."

Plato chuckled and reclined back against the tree, resting his paws behind his head in a picture of complete relaxation. "Then we'll call it the 'Plato' butterfly." He mused as he watched Victoria study the creature. "So whenever we can't be together, you can come here and we'll kinda be together."

Victoria leaned back to give a quick bat to Plato's ears before turning back to the butterfly. "Why would we ever be apart?" She purred as she reached her paw out in an attempt to touch the dainty animal. As suddenly as Victoria had noticed it, the butterfly fluttered away, disappearing into the sunset.

Plato gave a shrug as he watched Victoria settle back into his chest. "Dunno… just in case." He couldn't lie to the queen, but he didn't want to stress her. He just wasn't sure how to answer her question.

The two watched the sun sink lower as it stained the sky with its deep reds and pinks and purples: colors of passion. Plato knew that they were looking at the sky with completely different emotions. He was staring with dread as the sky darkened, praying for the sun to quit its journey across the sky. In his mind, he knew Victoria only saw it for the beauty of the moment that she got to share with him. Was this the first time they weren't on the same page? He suppressed a groan and shut his eyes tight, as if that would solve all his problems.

The two cats continued to chat as the sun unrelentingly dropped to the horizon. Plato let Victoria dictate the conversation; his mind was heavy in thought. Eventually the stars began to twinkle on the darkened horizon and Victoria snuggled closer to Plato's chest, using his strong arms as a shield from the rolling breeze. "Plato?" She mumbled, keeping her eyes closed as she took in a deep breath, memorizing his scent.

Plato looked down at the queen peacefully lying against him.

Apparently his shift in weight was the only response that Victoria needed to continue. "It's getting late, do you think we should head back?"

Plato swallowed hard, staring down at the innocent queen. This was the question he had been dreading. This was the question that he had tried planning an answer to all day. He wasn't sure how much he wanted to tell her or how to put it. Eventually he had reached a satisfactory answer in his mind, and immediately replied, trying not to sound too rehearsed, "Well, I was thinking that we could spend the night here. It's such a nice evening." He purred, praying that Victoria wouldn't question his motives.

The breath that he had been holding was silently released as Victoria only slouched down a bit more, settling in for the night. Her musical soprano purr harmonized with the crickets as the night wore on.

Plato closed his eyes as the smile he had plastered to his face instantly fell. He didn't know if he could keep the charade up much longer. He finally let all the thoughts that he had kept pushed to the margin of his mind come flooding back to him and overwhelm him. He tried his best to control his breathing, he suddenly felt like he was going to drown in his own wave of anxiety and guilt.

He couldn't get the picture of Munkustrap's steel gray eyes out of his mind. The horror that smoldered under the usually controlled expression as he informed some of the toms of the yard the terrible news still burned in Plato's mind. Macavity was going to attack the yard that night. Somehow Jerrie and Teazer had managed to garner information from some alley cat or other. While it was great for the yard to know this in advance, the numbers that Macavity had managed to amass was staggering. The attack was going to be an assault like the junkyard had never seen. There was going to be nothing easy about it.

Plato couldn't fight the fear that gnawed at his very core as he saw their usually confident leader hold his head in his paws, looking as hopeless as a kitten. The chills still ran up his spine as he recalled the silver tabby making arrangements for the kittens and other Jellicles that couldn't fight to leave the yard before the attack.

The slightest hint of a smirk spread across Plato's face a he remembered begging for the responsibility of Victoria. She was originally supposed to leave with Jelly and the kittens. Jelly's face was unforgettable as she contemplated his words. Finally, the tribe's protector agreed that Plato could take Victoria away from the yard. Plato knew, without a doubt, that Victoria would be safe here. But he also knew that he had to keep the truth hidden from her. If she found out, she would come racing back. But he was doing nothing different from what Jelly and the others would have done.

He sighed again. Plato knew that no one would have thought less of him if he decided to stay at this tree and not fight, but the tribe and the yard needed him. How could he look at himself or Victoria's smiling face knowing that he had shied away from protecting her and her family? He had taken her away from the violence and danger, but that wasn't enough. He had to fight, to keep it from her.

In the back of his mind, Plato couldn't suppress the grim voice telling him of his other motive. Victoria had to be out of the junkyard so she wouldn't see it if he fell in combat. It would be more than she could handle. They had had so much planned for the future…

Plato shook his head, trying to clear it of such pessimistic thoughts. He would be back tomorrow morning before she even opened an eye. He would be back to wake her, and the junkyard would be safe again. They would be able to go back and greet their friends as they began to plan the upcoming Jellicle ball.

A shuffling next to his side tore Plato away from his thoughts. Victoria seemed to shimmer in the moonlight as she shifted to a new position. He smiled again. It would be nice to be back in her arms in the morning.

"Plato," She mumbled, half asleep. "Will you sing for me?"

How could he refuse such a sweet request? "Sure." Plato mumbled as he tried to think through the songs that he knew. As he soaked in everything about Victoria, he decided to sing a new song, one that was just for the beautiful queen, for his beautiful queen.

Plato began hesitant at first. He had never made up his own song before, but he decided to relax and just let his song go as the thoughts came to him. "_Hush now darling don't you cry_." The image of the 'Plato' Butterfly sprang to his mind, and how much its grace reminded him of Victoria. "_Rest your wings my butterfly_."

He could only hope that one day, and maybe through his efforts, Victoria would be able to live a life free of fear. "_Peace will come to you in time,/And I will sing this lullaby_."

Plato pulled Victoria closer, feeling her warm body against his. "_Know though I must leave, my dove/That I would stay here by your side./And if you wake after I'm gone,/Remember this sweet lullaby_."

The tears springing to his eyes caused a slight tremble in Plato's voice. He didn't worry too much. He could tell from Victoria's deep and heavy breathing that the queen was fast asleep. "_And all love through darkness/Don't you ever stop believing/With love forlorn/With love you'll find your way/My love_." He knew that if he didn't come back, Victoria would be able to make it. She was strong.

A deep sigh came from Plato's chest as he contemplated the night to come. "_The world has turned the day to dark_."

A piercing whistle rang through the air. Even though they were almost two blocks away from junkyard, Alonzo's signal still pierced the night. He sighed, there was no going back any more. It was time to gather in preparation for the attack.

Plato silently and gently slinked his body out from under Victoria's and tenderly laid her head down on a patch of moss at the roots of the tree. Plato finished his song as he made sure Victoria was comfortable for the night. "_I leave this night with heavy heart/Should I return to dry your eyes/I will sing this lullaby_."

He leaned forward, kissing Victoria lovingly on her forehead. He pulled back, blinking the tears from his eyes. He'd be back, right? "_Yes, I will sing this lullaby_."

In his crouched position, Plato etched every line of her body and every piece of fur into his memory. He knew what he was fighting for. He brushed his paw over her cheek, flattening some of her glistening fur. "Hey Vik, I wanna hug ya now." He whispered, remember his promise earlier that evening. He silently leaned forward and enfolded her petite frame in his arms.

The snowy queen shifted and a sleepy purr reached Plato's ears. He quickly withdrew his arms. Luckily she was still asleep. With one last glance, Plato stood and turned towards junkyard as a second whistle cut through the air. If he didn't leave now, he never would.

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Victoria lazily lifted her head as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She smiled as she was greeted with warm sunlight and the sounds of birds singing. Her eyes eventually focused and she glanced around the meadow for Plato. His copper fur was easy to spot in the clearing, but she couldn't seem to find him. It became clear that he wasn't in the area.

The snowy queen gracefully stretched each limb as she yawned widely. She wasn't too worried. Plato usually took the early morning patrols. He always told her it was because then he would have most of the day to spend with her.

Once each muscle was stretched to her satisfaction, Victoria deftly jumped to her paws and began her peaceful stroll back to the yard. The whole way she seemed to playful dance through the long grass. The night before was so perfect; she was just giddy with excitement.

But as Victoria approached the yard, she could instantly tell that something was wrong. When she usually approached the yard, she was greeted with songs and laughter, at the very least some form of chatter. But this time, dead silence permeated from the yard. It sounded completely abandoned and dead. Suddenly a sob split the air, and Victoria realized there were a few tendrils of smoke wafting up from somewhere deep in the junkyard.

A sickening feeling spread through every nerve in Victoria's body. For a moment she thought her legs were going to collapse under her. As another sob broke through the air, Victoria regained her strength and sprinted towards the yard.

Victoria tore through the main gate, leaping over pieces of junk where they didn't belong. She eventually slid to a halt in the main clearing, sides heaving. Sweat caked her brow as she rested her paws on her knees and took in the horror surrounding her. All she could see was destruction and pain. Familiar faces encircled her, but all of them were covered with an expression that she had never seen before. Even though she should feel some relief from the faces she had grown up with, none of them were what she was looking for.

Of all cats, Victoria noticed Bomba cautiously approaching her. The same expression she saved for Demeter was now turned towards Victoria. The scarlet queen tried her best to provide a motherly smile. Black and red paws gently rested on Victoria's shoulder as Bomba attempted to steer Victoria towards her den. This was all Victoria needed to cement her fears. It was obvious now that something was wrong. She instantly began to hyperventilate. She couldn't catch her breath; she needed Plato now! Only he could comfort her. Where was her to-be mate?

Victoria spun out from Bomba's arms and hissed a warning. Bomba immediately halted, a pained expression on her face. Through her labored breathing Victoria began to shout for Plato, her voice cracked as tears began to flow down her cheeks. "Plato! Where's Plato! Tell me now! I-I need him!" Her words came harder and harder. She caught Bomba's eyes and looked away and gripped her paws in a fist, with her claws pricking her pads. Her voice became a venomous hiss, "Don't you dare look at me like that."

She shouted again, her voice dying from her sobs and screams, "_Where is Plato_?"

Victoria noticed a flash of gold in her peripheral vision, and she turned hissing. She only wanted her copper tom near her. He was the only one who could help her now.

Tugger took Victoria's paws in his own. For once, Tugger seemed to have a serious expression. Victoria looked into his eyes and didn't shy away. It had nothing to do with his looks, but that he didn't gaze upon her with pity or pain, but just concern and love. He gently tugged on her paws and led her off to a side clearing.

Moans and groans greeted Victoria as she entered the clearing. She noticed the wounded were spread across the ground. A bloody Alonzo lay recuperating in an exhausted looking Cassandra's lap. Jerrie and Teazer concentrated on each other's wounds. Even Admetus reclined against a junk pile, cradling his right arm. Victoria's eyes searched the crowd, looking for the coat pattern that she knew and loved.

Victoria gasped and her paws shot to her mouth as she saw familiar looking tom off to the side. Even through the blood and the bruising, she would recognize that face anywhere.

Plato remained as still as stone, lying on the hard ground. Nothing seemed right about the way he was laying. Aside from being covered in the wrong kind of copper, the copper of dried blood, his arm rested at funny angle and his head seemed to lull to the side awkwardly.

Victoria's own scream pierced the air as she ran to the tom, falling to her knees at his side. There was no shame in the queen as she stared down at the bloodied body, sobbing. She wasn't sure what to do, but she found the nerve to cradle Plato's head against her chest. Where was his smile? The warmth in his eyes? The warmth just for her? This couldn't be happening. This was just a nightmare, a horrible nightmare. She just needed to wake up. They had so much ahead of them. They were promised to each other!

Victoria's sobs racked her body and made every cat stop what they were doing. Chills ran down everyone's spines as their fur stood on end. Hers was the sound of pure despair and loss. Through the tears, Victoria turned to try and face the cats. She could barely see them through her blurry vision, but that might have been for the best since none could look her in the eye. "Why? Why didn't anyone save him! Give me Plato back!" She screamed, as if that would bring her tom back to her.

Tugger tried to approach the distraught queen again, unsure of what to do once he reached her.

Victoria hissed through the tears and hiccupped through her sobs. "Don't touch me!" Her voice was low and deadly. "Where were you when he needed you?" The blame was instantly placed on all cats nearby. "Where were any of you? Why did this have to happen to _him_!"

Victoria collapsed on his once warm chest. There was no comforting sound beating from within. Plato had once told her that his heart beat just for her, and it had even before they met. It had just been waiting to meet her.

At what price had they defeated Macavity? Victoria began to wonder if this had been worth it.

She sensed more than watched as the cats began to leave the clearing or gather at the other side. Victoria was left in peace, hunched over the love of her life. Her eyes shut tight as she kept her face pressed against his chest, waiting for any signs of life. As time passed, a simple tune came to her mind. The tune was familiar, as if from a dream, and she began to hum to Plato. A few words worked their way into the tune. Victoria quickly realized it was the song that Plato had sung to her the night before. "_Hush now darling don't you cry_." She couldn't remember the rest of the words, and only a few notes following, but it didn't stop her. The white queen continued to sing the only parts she knew over and over again. A broken record for a broken heart.

For the rest of the day and night, Victoria remained by Plato's side. The next morning, Jelly had made it back to the yard and managed to pry a hollow Victoria away from the clearing. Though it wasn't hard, Victoria was completely devoid of energy or concerns. Did anything really matter anymore?

The days passed and blurred together. Victoria was empty and hollow. She only ate when she had to, just enough to survive. She was a mere shadow of herself. The tribe was no longer graced with her beautiful dancing. Her friends rarely saw her, and when they did, she simply sat there and stared that the ground. All the elders of the tribe began to wonder if they needed to send her away. Maybe some time away from the junkyard would do her some good? Could they even bring her to mere fraction of herself?

Finally, weeks after Macavity's attack, Victoria secretly fled the junkyard, running to that special tree in the meadow. She wasn't sure what she was thinking, but somehow she couldn't help but think that Plato would be sitting at the roots, waiting for her.

Victoria ran up the roots and stopped. They were empty and bare. That pain in her stomach that felt like a rock returned. She choked on the sobs that she had been suppressing for weeks and stood there. She was completely lost, and she finally let herself feel the desolation. The tears she thought she had sealed away somehow found their way back to her eyes. The back of her paw vigorously rubbed at her eyes as Victoria tried to wipe them away.

Through her grief, Victoria began to dance. She started out with a slow pirouette, raising her arms above her. She couldn't erase the image she had painted in her mind where Plato would dance with her at the next Jellicle Ball and they would become mates. He had danced with her at her first ball, but that would have been nothing compared to the love they would have shown when they were mated. A new song sprang to her mind. In her timid, weak soprano voice, Victoria began to sing as she danced. "_I dreamed a dance with you./You whispered slyly, softly/You told me you would be true._"

Her voice caught at the words. He had promised her forever, but everything was over. "_We spun around a thousand stars/I dreamed a dance with you._"

The queen closed her eyes as she continued to spin and jump, every move as graceful as ever. Suddenly, Plato's face and smiling eyes appeared before her. She reached out and the image dissipated into nothing. Victoria chocked on a sob as her paw fell to her side. In her mind, Plato continued to sing in her mind, "_The dancers may disappear_/_Still the dance goes on_."

Victoria continued to twirl, ignoring the blurring lines of the world around her and the dizzy feeling creeping into her head. She took over the song, back from Plato, "_I'll wake alone tomorrow/The dream of our dance is through._" Victoria hated it but had to face it, that dance that had meant the world to her was never going to happen. "_But now until forever love/I'll die to dance with you._"

Her leg faltered beneath her and Victoria froze. Did she mean what she had just said? She peered down at her feet. She realized, only a few feet away, the meadow fell off into a kind of ravine. It wasn't much, it wasn't something that would really stop a human, but for such a small, Jellicle cat, it was a deadly fall. Victoria crept closer, looking down the rocky slope. She could almost see Plato, waiting for her in the Heaviside Layer. She just wanted to be with him again, to feel his arms around her, to see his smile, to feel his fur beneath her paw. She had to admit; she didn't see anything else that she could lose. It was already all stolen from her.

She took a deep breath, readying herself for the step that would end everything. Suddenly, a flash of color dashed across her field of vision. Instinctively, Victoria reeled back, losing her balance. The queen fell rather ungracefully on her tail, breaking her trance. She grimaced as she pulled her tail out from under her and bent her knees ready to get back up.

The offender danced a few more times in front of Victoria's eyes before settling elegantly on one of her knees. A beautiful blend of coppers, whites, and creams opened up to the sun. Victoria stared in astonishment as the Plato butterfly remained for a few moments more before flittering away. She followed it with her eyes and watched as it rejoined a group of the same type of butterfly.

Victoria stared blankly at her knee, unsure of how to process what had just happened. That butterfly had just saved her from a horrible decision. That Plato butterfly saved her. Plato saved her.

She watched as the butterflies danced around the meadow, weaving through the grasses and around each other. She slowly stood up and followed the butterflies. Eventually the swarm surrounded her. She closed her eyes as she listened to the feint whisper of their beating wings and their soft touch seemed to linger on her skin. Victoria couldn't resist the smile. He was still here with her, just as he had promised.

The tears that she had been fighting began to freely flow. As much as they hurt, it was also a relief to let the grief go. Victoria only remained for a few moments longer before heading back to the junkyard.

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One cannot will time to stand still, and no one knew that better than Victoria. The beautiful queen grew up just like the rest of the cats, but she never took a mate. It wasn't from lack of suitors; the gentle, pure white queen had quite the selection if she wanted, but no one could replace Plato, and she didn't even want to try.

After that fateful evening, it would have been a lie to say that Victoria was never lonely, but it never destroyed her again. She learned to appreciate her friends and family. Eventually, Jelly and Jenny retired. Victoria eagerly took Jelly's place as the kitten-sitter. Each kitten was a special life, and Victoria loved to surround her herself with their innocent nature and kind hearts.

No one in the junkyard could deny she was one of the best kitten-sitters they had ever had. She threw her entire life and being into their care. She would teach them how to dance and sing, and most importantly, love.

As the sun began its descent, the kittens whispered giddily among each other as they gathered in the clearing. That night was a special night. It was the night they waited all year for. They eagerly shushed one another, as if gathering in secret. However, all their efforts were in vein, because as soon as the snowy white queen emerged into the clearing, every single one of them erupted in calls for Ms. Victoria.

A gentle smile graced her lips as Victoria crouched down to give each kitten a hug. After everyone receive their proper greeting, Victoria stood elegantly before them and held out her paws as if to welcome them. "Is everyone ready?" She called.

A loud and joyous yes filled the clearing.

Victoria gave a musical laugh, "Good. And I know you will all behave."

A chorus of affirmations erupted once again. Each paw was taken by the kitten closest to her. On the queen's right was a golden tabby. Malabine, Munkustrap and Demeter's daughter merrily swung her paw back and forth. A lean looking black and brown-patched tom, Dolo, occupied Victoria's left paw. He was one of Cassandra and Alonzo's brood.

The merry caravan quietly and swiftly left the yard and found its sought after path. Eventually, the mini-tribe came upon he meadow they all knew by heart. Laughter and song erupted as the kittens ran forward, excited to play in the prairie grass.

After a bit of playing, Victoria took her seat at the trunk of the tree. As if a signal had been set off, all of the kittens migrated to the tree and sat down peacefully around the snowy queen.

Victoria smiled and began her story. She told the kittens of the bravery of the Jellicles and the hardships they faced to protect those they loved. Her story magically wove images before the kits as she culminated her story in the bravery of a courageous tom named Plato. She told them how she loved him, and how he fought for her, and for them. Even though he didn't know them yet, he fought for every single kitten's happiness. At the very end she told them that this very day was the anniversary of his fight with Macavity.

Every kitten had heard this story before, but it didn't matter. Each gasped in amazement at the magic of the moment and the place.

After the story drew to a close, Victoria pointed towards the setting sun. A gathering of butterflies alighted from the tall grass in the distance and made their way towards the gathering at the tree.

"Plato butterflies!" squealed Malabine as the coppery creatures drew closer.

All the kittens jumped to their paws and ran to play and dance in the swirling gathering of butterflies. Victoria couldn't help but chuckle as she watched the kittens. But something caught her eye. She looked down to see one of the butterflies resting gingerly on her arm. She smiled and lifted her arm to her face; her blue eyes only inches away from the delicate creature. "Thank you." She purred so quietly that no one else could hear.

The butterfly alighted and joined its brethren in the dance with the kittens.

Evening eventually came and the kittens gathered around Victoria once again. This time, each found a tender patch of grass or moss to curl up in. Dolo peacefully situated himself on Victoria's lap. She chuckled as she softly scratched the tom behind his ear. She began to sing a familiar tune. The kittens began to purr as the heard the recognizable, comforting song. "_Hush now darling don't you cry_…"

Victoria had remembered quite a few more words over the years, and where she didn't know the words, she just hummed. She didn't mind, she had plenty more years ahead of her to remember the full lullaby.

**A/N: Oh golly gosh. I really love this chapter, but I feel so bad. I really just want to write a story where they remain happy together. I think they have the potential to be so cute! Maybe I'll write another Platoria one-shot or even a full story. I hope you don't mind it kinda turned into a Victoria chapter at the end. But I really loved the idea, and it just seemed to fit the two. They'll be happy together someday. Please let me know what you think! Hopefully I didn't anger anyone. Haha Also: if you haven't I highly suggest you listen to Josh Groban's **_**Lullaby**_** as well as **_**I Dreamed a Dance**_** from the musical **_**Next to Normal**_**. Those were the song inspirations. (were they too much?)**


	6. Once in Love with Viki

**Chapter 6: Once in Love with Viki**

**A/N: I did adopt a pet bearded dragon…but I still don't own Cats or the song at the end. (Sorry for two songfics in a row)**

Victoria gracefully danced around the clearing, each limb perfectly extended and each line beautifully held as if it was drawn. The tune in her head ended, and the pure white queen dropped her arms, pleased that they had performed so well. She smiled blissfully at herself as she gently massaged her limbs. They weren't sore, but she wanted to make sure they wouldn't be later the next morning.

A small applause came from the side of the clearing, and Victoria's ears flicked towards the sound. She turned towards the noise to find a beaming Mistoffelees. The petite tom's white paws clapped eagerly in front of him as he walked towards her.

Victoria smiled bashfully as she turned away, embarrassed by the praise.

Misto smiled as he ceased clapping and placed his paws in his hips. His smile was as warm and inviting as ever. He was the real sweetheart of the yard. "That was amazing Victoria! As always, that is." He laughed.

A blush spread across her snowy face, her white fur made even the slightest tint obvious. "Thanks, Misto." She half whispered. Victoria was a very shy queen; she couldn't even look Misto in the eye for long.

The tuxedoed tom chuckled and shook his head slightly. The queen's bashfulness only made her even more attractive, not that he could ever tell her. He glanced up at the sky, noting that a few stars had just begun to peek through darkening clouds. "Well, it's getting kinda late. You gonna stay out here?"

Victoria stole a quick glance and smiled. She nodded tentatively.

Misto sighed, he loved it when she blessed him with a smile and those sapphire eyes. "Alright, but I'm gonna head back. You gonna be safe out here by yourself?"

Victoria clasped her paws behind her back as her tail swayed luxuriously back and forth. At least she was good about hiding her anxiety to get the tom gone. "I'll be fine." She purred, smiling again to reassure Misto that she meant it.

The black and white tom held up his paws as if to say he couldn't do anything about the situation. He let out another friendly chuckled. "Alright. I'll see ya later. Be safe and don't stay out too long."

The queen watched until the white tip of the magical tom's tail disappeared around the pile of junk. She waited a few seconds before releasing her breath. Her smile broadened and into one that was instantly more sincere. It wasn't that she was insincere to Misto, but her true smile had never revealed itself.

Her paws ran through her head fur as she laughed. "You'll protect me, right?" As she spoke, she twisted her body around, clearly searching the piles for something. The original bashfulness seemed to have fled the queen. She was completely comfortable and herself now.

From a deep shadow cast by a chair at the top of one of the piles and the setting sun, playful butterscotch eyes seemed to laugh as a tom stepped forward. "I dunno…" purred a voice. Victoria could hear the smile that she dearly loved. "I'm still mad at you."

The tan and cream tom expertly jumped down the pile, taking much more daring jumps than any other Jellicle in the yard would have even thought of attempting.

Pouncival's smirk never left his face as he crossed his arms and seemed to glare at Victoria. "I don't see how you and I can both be in on a prank, but then I'm the only one who gets blamed! They didn't even believe me when I told 'em you were a coconspirator!" He huffed.

Victoria turned and swiftly hid her grin behind a delicate paw. Her eyes glistened as she remembered the incident:

_It all started when she had snuck into Cassandra's den to steal her favorite mirror while also taking Bombalurina's cherished silk pillow. At the same time, Pounce had managed to steal Alonzo's claw filer and Tugger's sacred fur brush. The two of them had met in a rarely visited part of the yard and hid the treasures in an old wardrobe. Before they left, Pouncival had to jump and roll on the pillow, taking in the little luxury. He claimed that if they were taking the time to steal it, they might as well enjoy it. _

_Eventually Victoria was able to pry him off of the pillow and the two troublemakers ran back to the main clearing, giggling the entire way. As they approached, the two instinctively separated, to avoid looking suspicious (they couldn't stop giggling around each other). _

_Victoria swiftly took a seat on top of the TSE car, appearing to sun herself as she waited apprehensively. Pounce chose a spot next to Tumble and Plato, by the hollow washing machine. The young tom seemed to be having trouble controlling his features. Victoria rolled her eyes and waited. _

_Most of the day passed, but eventually the four cats migrated to their dens around suppertime. It didn't take long for all four pampered Jellicles to come bursting out of their dens in fits of rage. They instinctively began blaming each other. Their short tempers and quick-to-judge-their-lovers attitudes is what had made them the perfect targets. _

_Victoria managed to keep her face controlled as she imitated Jemimia's look of total surprise at the argument. Pounce on the other hand, had to turn his face away from the gathering, as he couldn't stop from snickering. Victoria had tried to catch his attention and get him to cut it out, but he couldn't even look up towards her. _

_Almost fifteen minutes of shouting later, the cats finally realized that they had been duped. All four of them instantly began to scan the clearing for the perpetrator. It took less than a second for Bomba's voice to ring across the clearing "Pouncival!"_

_Life in the clearing seemed to freeze. The last thing any cat wanted was to be on Bomba's bad side. Victoria was actually as surprised as she looked this time. There's no way she could know, right? Maybe she was just assuming. She hoped so, that way Pounce could get out of it. _

_The scarlet queen stomped over towards the gathered toms. Tumble and Plato instantly scooted away. Pounce was cursed at the moment; they couldn't be to far away. Bomba loomed over the tom with her paws on her hips. A slight snarl came to her lip as she outstretched her paw. Pounce flinched as her harsh voice snapped, "What is this?"_

_As she pulled back, a few blue silk threads dangled in her clasped paw. Victoria swallowed hard as she watched Pounce's ears drop. If only he hadn't rolled on the pillow… There's no way of getting out of it now. _

_Alonzo marched over and took Pounce by the ear, dragging him to his back paws. The rest of the evening passed with a strong lecture and Pounce insisting that Victoria deserved punishment too. _

_But apparently Victoria was a better actress than Pounce was._

The downy queen came back to the present and quickly controlled her features, just like she had earlier that day. Victoria blinked a few times as she made her eyes wide in mock innocence. "I dunno what you mean." She purred demurely as she took Pounce's paw in hers, swinging back and forth like a little kitten.

Pounce seemed to struggle more than usual to keep the fake scowl on his face. "That may work on them, but not me!" Even though he was trying to look angry, he didn't withdraw his mottled paw from Victoria's.

Victoria's smile widened as she took another step towards the patched tom. She stood up on the tips of her paws and placed a soft kiss on Pounce's cheek. She pulled back and set her free paw on his chest. "It's not my fault you have that reputation. I just don't get caught!" She purred.

Pounce finally let his smile return but he kept his eyes glue on Victoria as his ears flicked slightly.

Victoria's eyes grew wide in actual surprise. She knew what Pounce was planning as she watched his muscles tense and his eyes begin to calculate different approaches. She began to take a few tentative steps back, freeing her paws and holding them out as if trying to calm Pounce down. "Don't you dare!" She whispered, continuing to step backwards. "Pounce? … Pounce … Pounce!"

The little tom's grin took on a mischievous spark as he lunged across the clearing, his target locked on the demure queen trying to sprint away. It only took a few bounds for the tom to close the distance. He emitted a triumphant laugh as he lunged for his snowy prey. However, he forgot to take into account that she was expecting him to catch up and was not without her own bag of tricks.

Just as Pounce's paws were about to make contact with Victoria's waist, the lithe dancer seemed to glide through the air as she twirled to the side, avoiding the attack. Victoria giggled as Pounce tackled the empty air. He quickly spun around, ready for a second assault. Victoria knew that she couldn't evade him for long, but she didn't mind.

In a few short seconds and only two tackle attempts later, the two cats barely out of kittenhood tumbled to the ground. Pounce pinned Victoria, laughing as he held her arms securely to her sides. "I think that makes up for it!"

"Really?" Victoria questioned playfully as she raised one eyebrow in question.

Pounce cocked his head in puzzlement as he tried to understand her meaning.

Victoria gave as an alluring smile as she could muster and tried her best to lean towards Pounce, which was rather hard since he had her pinned to the ground. Eventually Victoria could lean her head just far enough forward to place a playful peck on Pounce's cheek.

Pounce's caramel eyes grew wide in surprise, he clearly wasn't expecting that response. However, that was exactly what Victoria was aiming for. She wasted not time in using the poor tom's shock to her advantage as she rocked her body and pitched him to the earth. She giggled as she tensed her muscles, ready to spring at her target.

As taken aback as Pounce had been before, he took less than a moment to regain his senses and was back on his paws. He smirked as the two cats stood in a stand off, each eyeing the other in a challenge. "Bring it, Viki." He purred, readying himself to run.

Victoria let out a laugh as she leapt for the patched tom. He easily flipped out of her grasp and ran a few feet away before spinning around and waiting for her next attempt. The petite queen was not an expert at chasing, and had thrown her entire weight into her lunge. It took her a little time to recover, which only gave Pounce more to prepare himself.

The small queen finally stopped herself and prepared for a second attack, only to have a replay of the last tackle attempt. This game continued much longer than the previous round. No matter what she tried, Victoria couldn't seem to catch Pouncival as he flipped and twirled away from her paws. In a desperate attempt to bring her prey down, Victoria tried to aim low, hoping to catch his back paws even if he tried to jump away.

As she closed the gap between them, it didn't take much for Pounce to figure out what she was planning. He skillfully turned and performed an aerial back flip, in an attempt to sail over the downy queen. However, not all plans go as intended, and Victoria instinctively reached one of her paws up. Luckily she only clipped the heel of Pounce's back paw, but that was all it took.

The tom instantly lost balance in midair and his limbs began to flail wildly as he tried to regain control of himself. Victoria squealed and she brought her paws to her face as the tom flailed wildly above her.

All of this happened in less than a second. Pounce somehow managed to regain his composure and quickly stretched his body, trying to make sure that he didn't land on the queen below him. He landed on his front paws, continuing the flip, landing even farther away from Victoria.

He was now facing the snowy queen, "Crud! Viki!" Pouncival had actually thought of a word much worse than that, but he had trained himself to never say those words around Victoria. It just never seemed very gentlemanly like.

The tan and white tom ran across the clearing to Victoria's side. At some point in the chaos, Victoria had fallen to the ground. The queen now covered her face with delicate paws. Pounce could hear soft, mumbled noises coming from under her makeshift mask, and he noticed her shoulders lightly shaking up and down. His first instinct was to panic. Victoria was crying, what had his heel hit? He wasn't sure; he had been in the air at the time.

A thought struck him and a cold sweat broke out on his brow. What if her nose was broken or something? What would he tell his mother, Jennyanydots? Or Victoria's adopted father, Asparagus? That was a conversation he didn't want to have. But worst of all, how could he ever even look at himself knowing that he, Pouncival Carbucketty, had hurt the gentle queen?

Pounce slid to his knees, his paws shaking. He wasn't sure what he would need to do, but he mentally prepared himself for anything. The patched tom took Victoria's pure white paws in his tan ones and gently pried her cover away from her face. "Viki?" The face below the paws was still as white as the fresh snow, not a drop of blood stained the alabaster fur. In fact, Pounce was greeted with joyous giggling and smiling eyes.

"I'm so sorry." Victoria gasped through fits of giggles.

Pounce was overcome with relief as he released the breath he had been holding in horror. The release was so great that the small tom simply toppled over and flopped on his back next to the giggling queen, closing his eyes as he soaked in his newfound peace. It didn't take long for Pounce to hear a rustling close to him and to feel a presence above him. He lazily blinked open his eyes.

Victoria was leaning over him, her face full of concern and her eyes filled with worry. "I really am sorry Pounce! I-I didn't mean to knock you off balance…" She almost looked like she had tears in her eyes, the way they sparkled in the moonlight. "I won't do it again, promise. Forgive me?" That look of concern pierced Pounce's heart. What had he done to deserve such devotion? Nothing had even happened, and all she could do was care about him. Suddenly, the only thing that mattered to Pounce was to erase those tears from existence, to remove them from that place they never belonged.

He silently reached out and placed a caramel colored paw on Victoria's cheek. "Don't apologize, Viki." He purred. "Honestly, I was just scared. I didn't know what my heel hit, and then you were on the ground and it looked like you were crying and you were covering your face…" Pounce gave a small smirk as he let his paws drop to the ground, making a kind of cross with his body.

A look of realization entered Victoria's widened eyes. "Oh my gosh! Pounce! I totally didn't think that that was what it'd looked like! _I'm so sorry!_"

Pouncival shook his head. "It's really fine Viki! You're okay. That's all that mattered. Just a little exhausted now. Ya drained me." He chuckled.

Victoria's musical laughter met his as she lay down at his side. She easily fit herself between Pounce's arm and his side, curling up next to him and placing her head gently on his shoulder. This was the way things were meant to be. Pounce placed his paw on Victoria's shoulder as they watched the stars above them. Each cat was at peace with the other, no words were needed.

Eventually the moon followed its path until it was directly overhead. Pounce sighed as he shook Victoria's shoulder, waking her up. He couldn't suppress the smile as he watched the beautiful queen blink the sleep from her cobalt eyes. He leaned forward and gently kissed her, assisting the wake up process.

Victoria giggled as she kissed him back. Pounce pulled away, laughing with the beautiful queen. The two didn't have to say a word as they began their path back to the main clearing, paw in paw.

The finally reached the edge of the gathering spot and halted. Victoria looked at Pounce as if she wanted to say something, but seemed to hold her tongue. Pounce gave her paw a squeeze before pulling her towards him. His paws found their way around her tiny waist as he pulled her even closer.

Victoria turned on her breathtaking smile as she contemplated his caramel eyes and tan fur. She reached out and her paw absentmindedly traced the striped patches on his right shoulder. Pounce chuckled as he took her chin in his paw causing her movements to freeze. "'Night Viki." He purred.

Victoria's instant response was to purr in response. "G'night Pounce." She leaned forward, kissing the nimble tom. After a moment she pulled back only an inch, to look into his laughing eyes again. She would never say anything, but Victoria contemplated how happy she would be if they ever twinkled at her like that in a crowded clearing, in broad daylight.

Just then, the two lovers were interrupted by a sound from the clearing; someone was nearby. The two cats stiffened as they tried their best to locate the offender. After tense moments, Pounce turned back to Victoria as he slowly began to back up. "See ya tomorrow night Viki." He whispered. Then he was gone, lost in the shadows of the junk piles.

Victoria sighed and watched Pounce silently disappear towards his den. She ran a quick paw through her headfur as she contemplated their parting. It was nothing special, in fact is was quite routine. But that didn't mean that she liked it. Victoria leaned against the junk pile behind her. She didn't want to retreat to the solitude of her den quite yet. She couldn't count the times she had invited him to stay with her, only to be denied. He would always apologize and say that it would only lead to everyone seeing him leave the next morning. Victoria chuckled at the thought. That was true. If Jenny couldn't wake the youthful tom up at a reasonable hour, Victoria sure wouldn't be able to in the early morning hours. On the other hand, why did it matter?

Victoria released another exasperated sigh as she rested her elbow and a convenient book sitting in the pile and her head in her paw. She knew that Pounce was a shy tom, and he hadn't fully coped with his feelings yet. It wasn't that she doubted his sincerity, but even though he was a full-grown tom, Pounce still hadn't shaken that insecurity when it came to showing his true feelings. Who was she to push him out of it? He would grow out of it eventually, right? And even if he didn't, she was still the queen he loved, still the queen he looked for every night. Deep down in her heart, Victoria knew she would do anything for him. Maybe she could just talk to him about it tomorrow… She longed to be able to walk through the clearing paw in paw…

"Victoria? What are you doing here?"

Victoria jumped a few inches in the air as someone interrupted her personal reverie. She quickly tried to mentally calm herself and smooth her fur before turning towards her intruder. Thoughts sped through her brain as she tried to find an excuse as to why she was out so late and way past curfew. The queen performed her best smile she could under the circumstances as she turned towards whoever was on patrol.

Her smile became a bit more genuine as she came face to face with Plato. The gentle tom seemed to have a look of true concern, as he looked Victoria up and down, seemingly to make sure she wasn't hurt. Plato was always so kind to Victoria, everyone had thought that they would end up together. At the time, Victoria was too scared to mention that she had her eyes on another tom.

"Ah, sorry Plato! You startled me. Hehe. You see, I was out dancing as usual, and I got carried away. I just wasn't paying attention to the time…and with the Jellicle Ball coming up… I guess I just let everything slip past." Victoria widened her eyes into the look of innocence that she had down to a tee.

Plato narrowed his eyes; he clearly wasn't buying her story. Victoria quickly added, "You can ask Misto, he was there in the beginning."

Whether or not Plato bought her story, Victoria wasn't sure, but he didn't seem to think that she was up to any mischief or in trouble. He eventually shrugged and glanced back into the clearing. "I gotta keep on patrol." The copper tom snuck a smirk and a glance towards the white queen. "But no one should pass by again for at least a minute or two. I suggest you sneak back to your den while you can."

Victoria silently clapped her paws in front of her. "Oh thank you Plato." She purred.

Plato gave Victoria sly wink before continuing to stroll past her. Over his shoulder he called, "Don't thank me. I never saw ya."

Victoria chuckled as she ran for her den and the comfort of sleep.

(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)

The sun was setting and evening was fast approaching. Pounce had waited at the top of his usual junk pile near Victoria's rehearsal clearing, but she hadn't shown up yet. She didn't always practice like she did the night before, but the Jellicle Ball was approaching and she should have been there by now.

Pounce wasn't too worried that she was hurt or anything, but he was overwhelmed with the desire to see her. Even though it had been less than twenty-four hours, it was just so hard to watch the other toms flirt with her. She always politely brushed their advances aside, but that didn't do anything to quell the jealousy that cut at his heart.

All day, all Pouncival wanted to do was to pull the snowy queen to his side and hold her there forever. But he knew that he couldn't, not if he wanted to keep her happy…

After a quick scan of her usual haunts and the most common gathering places, Pounce resorted to stalking through the lesser pathways in the junkyard, but still close to the main clearing. These were the more 'residential' areas, where most of the dens were. They were just close enough to the clearing to feel connected and a part of the tribe, but far enough away that the cats in the clearing wouldn't bother the resident sleeping in their dens.

Suddenly, a familiar and dreamy voice floated out of a den just up ahead. Pounce would know that voice anywhere, and he'd always be drawn to it. As he neared the den, he realized that it belonged to Jemima. Victoria was probably hanging out with the young queen and had lost track of time. Pounce found a little spring in his step now that he knew where Victoria was. The problem now was getting her out. He plopped himself down, just outside the entrance of the den. Luckily the draping of a ratty blanket served as a door and blocked him from sight so he could devote his full attention to the planning.

Could Jelly need Victoria? No, Pounce quickly shot that down. If Jemima thought it was an emergency, she'd want to go with, or ask about it later. That meant Tugger was completely out of the question too. That story would interest Jemima more than Victoria. Ballet lessons? As if the petite red and black queen would believe that. Pounce sighed, if only he could just say he needed her…but wouldn't that give too much away?

As Pounce continued to think through different ideas, he was suddenly pulled from his thoughts as he heard Jemima say his name. Were they talking about him? Now his curiosity was piqued. Pounce knew that it was wrong to eavesdrop… but since when was he the mature cat in the yard? The spotted tom chuckled at the thought and leaned his head closer, listening intently.

"What're you trying to say?" Victoria asked, she sounded almost offended. That wasn't a normal reaction when she was with Jemima. Pounce couldn't see in, but just inside the den, the snowy queen's fur began to bristle.

Jemima held up her paws in supplication. "I didin't mean anything by it, Victoria. Sorry. I just wondered, you know? I wasn't sure you two were still together… especially the way he flirts with Bomba."

Back outside the den, Pounce was stunned. Did Victoria tell someone they were going out? He thought that she didn't want anyone to know… a wave of confusion washed over him as he listened some more.

There was silence for a bit as Victoria tore her gaze away from her doe-eyed friend. She couldn't admit that it had bothered her too. She forced a smile that could've fooled anyone but Pounce. "Well that's nothing major. It's just Bomba. I mean I'm not much better with Tugger… still holding on to kittenish tendencies I guess." She chuckled, but Jemima didn't look convinced. Both queens knew that that wasn't true. Victoria was much better around Tugger than she used to be, but Pounce hadn't appeared to change at all.

The patched tom felt like the breath had been knocked out of him as he listened. He knew that laugh and tone anytime. Victoria was lying, not that he needed those indicators to know it. Was he really that unfair?

Jemima shifted uncomfortably but had no intention of changing the subject. "But I've never even seen you guys near each other!"

Victoria looked down at her fiddling paws. "That's not true. You saw me with him at the Ball, when he was holding the light on Tugger. We were together then…I even had my head resting on him!"

The smaller queen rolled her eyes and threw her paws in the air. "That doesn't count Victoria! All the lights were off. It's like a secret!"

Outside, Pounce pondered the thought. Wasn't it a secret?

Victoria shook her head, refusing to look up at Jemima's earnest face. "He's just shy, Jem. I mean if he's not comfortable…"

Jemima leaned forward, craning her neck to try and look Victoria straight in the eyes. "Or he just doesn't want anyone to know." The small queen leaned back to her original seat and crossed her paws in front of her. "That way he can keep Bomba and-"

"Don't you dare!" Hissed Victoria as she her eyes shot up at Jemima. The petite queen jumped in surprise. Victoria had never hissed at her like that or looked at her with such fury. "Don't you dare say those nasty things about him. Pouncival is a wonderful tom who cares about me! So what if he flirts a bit? He's nothing like Tugger or Alonzo. I won't tolerate anyone who says otherwise. He's shy, and I'll do anything to make him happy!"

Silence.

Just outside the den, Pounce wasn't sure how to react. It felt so wonderful to have Victoria defend him like that, but he was the one who put himself in that position. She shouldn't have to defend him; he should act in a way that she could be proud of him wherever she went. On the other paw, he thought that this was what she wanted. He thought Victoria wanted to keep their relationship a secret, why was she talking to Jemima like she didn't?

After a few moments of silence, Jemima reached out and placed a gentle paw on Victoria's. "I'm sorry Victoria. I didn't mean it. I just care about you, you know. And if you aren't happy, I'm not happy."

Victoria looked up and realized that Jemima had never said a malicious word in her life, and she wasn't going to start now. Her best friend was just worried. What friend wouldn't be? To see your best friend so happy to be in a relationship but not show it, that was hard on a friend. "I know Jem, and I'm sorry too. I guess I'm just a little stressed. I mean you're not completely wrong…You can't understand how much I wish he would just take my paw in public, or let me lean my head on his shoulder. Anything really…" Another flash of her award-winning fake smile. "Anyways, I gotta go. Thanks for listening to me though."

Jemima just nodded, unsure of what to say.

Pouncival was still processing the latter half of the conversation when the realization struck him. Victoria was leaving the den. That meant that she would be outside any second now and see him eavesdropping. The numb tom tried to gather his paws under him, but his limbs just wouldn't cooperate.

Pounce was still staring at the ground, trying to pull himself to his back paws when a pair of pure white paws stepped into view. They were soon followed by a loud gasp and a shocked voice, "What the-"

The guilty tom swallowed hard as he slowly looked up into Victoria's surprised face. He gave a nervous grin and chuckled as his ears lowered in remorse. There was no getting out of this one. If he hadn't still been on his butt, he could have at least claimed he'd just walked up. And of course now his coordination came back to him, and he easily stood before the stunned queen.

A voice called out from inside the den, "Victoria, is everything okay?"

Victoria quickly glanced from Pounce to the entrance of the den and back to Pounce. Her eyes widened as if trying to tell Pounce she was desperate for something to say. All he could do was shake his head silently. He may have found his coordination, but his voice still escaped him. He was so stupid…eavesdropping never ended well!

Victoria gave a quick roll of her eyes and called over her shoulder, "Yeah Jem. Sorry! I just forgot that I had something I needed to tell Jelly. Don't worry 'bout it."

A muted affirmation came from inside the den, as Jemima seemed to accept the excuse and retreated further into her den.

Victoria's gaze flashed back to Pounce, who flinched at her quickness. He was really in trouble. There was no way out of this. "Look, Viki, I'm-"

"Shh!" The snowy queen hushed as she brought a paw to her lips, silencing the guilty tom. Her eyes flashed with mischief as she took his paw in hers and she began to drag him behind her. The two eventually stopped at her rehearsal clearing. She quickly checked to make sure no one had followed them before dropping his paw and turning to face him.

Pounce expected her eyes to practically be shooting daggers at him, but instead, when Victoria turned around, she appeared to be wracked with guilt. He wasn't sure what that meant, but he did know that he had to apologize. "Viki, I really am sorry… I didn't mean to-" He stopped, that was a lie, he had meant to eavesdrop. Stupid! Stupid! "What I mean is, I'm sorry I was eavesdropping…It's just-"

This time Victoria interrupted him. She held up a paw in between them and Pounce instantly shut his mouth and waited. Her paw dropped to her side for a moment before she began to rub her forehead, as if she had a headache. She looked back at Pounce with those guilt-ridden, crystal eyes. "No, Pounce. I'm sorry…how much did you hear?"

Pounce shifted uncomfortably on his mottled paws, staring down at the dirt packed beneath his feet. He wasn't sure what to say or how to admit to what he'd done. Was there still time to salvage the situation? Maybe he could claim that he'd only heard the tail end of the conversation?

However short his momentary silence, it was apparently the only answer she needed. Victoria coved her face with her paws, too embarrassed to look at her tomfriend. She rubbed her eyes and cheeks a few times. She stopped and held her paws over her eyes, but separating them enough that she could be understood. "Pounce, I'm so sorry!" She dropped her paws, her eyes glistening with tears.

The patched tom was confused as to why she was apologizing to him. All he wanted to do was hug her, tell her everything was fine. But he knew better. As immature as the Pounce seemed, he knew that pushing those kinds of feelings to the side never helped the situation. He knew from personal experience.

The voice that he usually loved to hear interrupted his thoughts. Pounce felt like his heart was being torn in two as he heard the tears creep into it, "I'm so embarrassed Pounce. I know I should have talked to you first…I was just shy…Please don't hate me! I-I just didn't want to seem needy, like Cassandra. I see how Alonzo looks at her sometimes… I was scared. I'm sorry." She hiccupped as she finished her speech.

Pounce had seen enough. He instinctively took her paws in his and pulled them from her face so he could look her in the eyes. He held both of her diminutive paws in one of his and lifted his other to trace her jaw line before wiping a stream of tears from her cheeks. "Am I that upsetting?" The question hurt to ask, and Pounce wasn't sure he could take the answer, but he needed to know.

Victoria violently shook her head as she grasped his paw in hers. "No!" She almost shouted, her eyes desperate to get her point across. "No! I'm just so embarrassed, and that was so not right of me! I didn't mean to hurt your feelings!"

Pounce couldn't help but chuckle, it was such a relief to hear those words come out of her mouth. "Then stop crying. My feelings aren't hurt at all." Pounce paused to search for his words, but held a paw to Victoria's mouth, asking her to let him finish. "Honestly, I'm more surprised than anything. I thought _you_ didn't want anyone to know."

Victoria's eyes grew wide as she pressed his paw to his cheek. "Why would you think that?"

Pounce laughed again, realizing maybe this was a ridiculous reason. He leaned back and scratched the back of his head with a free paw. His amber eyes glanced to a pile of junk. He was a little embarrassed to share now. "Well ya see…A while ago you and I were talking…I think Plato had just asked ya out. Anyways, you were huffin' and puffin' that they only liked ya 'cause you were pretty and a good dancer. You went on how tom's are selfish, and you'll believe they like ya when they don't try and show ya off…You were saying you weren't a trophy queen…I really wanted ya to believe me!" He chuckled again as he turned back to the downy queen.

Victoria laughed, suddenly overcome by the ridiculousness of the situation. "Really? Pounce, that was over a year ago, I barely even remember that!" She continued giggling, it was just such a relief to know that he was doing it for her.

Pounce continued to laugh with her, feeling sillier than ever. "Sorry I made ya worry…I guess I just assumed you still felt that way."

Glistening ivory paws cupped the tom's face as she continued to laugh through the remnant tears. "Pounce! I-I love you. I want everyone to know how lucky I am and how in love I am!"

Pounce was taken aback for a moment. That was the first time she'd said that to him. He had always hoped that he would get to say it first, and that it would be much more romantic than this. But without a second thought, he blurted out what his heart meant, "I love you to, Viki." He quickly closed the gap between them, planting a kiss on those innocent, rosy lips.

After a passion filled moment, Victoria pulled away, breathless. She quickly laughed and shook her head. "This was such a silly…thing." She looked back at Pounce, a kind of dreaminess in her eyes. "I promise I will always tell you what I'm feeling."

He laughed again, this was the way they were meant to be, laughing and smiling. "And I promise not to assume _anything_." He played with her headfur briefly before leaning in for another kiss. He smiled as he felt the queen grin against his lips.

This time Victoria pushed him away. "I gotta go back Pounce. It's almost curfew."

Pounce gave a smirk that he learned from Tugger and purred, "I'll see ya in the main clearing tomorrow."

Victoria was sent into another fit of laughter as she jumped up, giving Pounce the briefest of kisses again. She then turn and ran for the clearing. Pounce watched as the queen vanished like a star in the night, and waited until he couldn't hear her giggles anymore.

The patched tom let out sigh and let himself plop against the junk pile behind him. He rubbed his eyes vigorously before combing them through his headfur. He slid down the pile until he was sitting at its base. His paws rested restlessly on his knees as he stared at the sky. She lied. She said she would tell him when something bothered her, and she still hadn't said a main part of the issue. Pounce was thankful that she hadn't though; he wasn't sure he would have been able to respond.

What had he done to deserve such a kind and gentle angel? Especially as selfish and egotistic as he was. He had relied on that excuse like a crutch, and he was ashamed of it. Originally, his reason really had been why he had held back in public. But it soon turned into an excuse to continue to flirt and act like a kitten. It wasn't that he actually liked any of the other queens… he'd guess it was just like safety blanket. No, that was a selfish excuse too! He just liked the attention. There was no denying it.

Pounce groaned and banged his head against the pile behind him, clenching his eyes shut. After everything he'd done, Victoria had still defended him. And she had stood before him and cried; worried that she had hurt _his_ feelings! He couldn't keep going on like this. It wasn't fair to her, she deserved better. He didn't want to just hold her paw in public, he wanted to declare how lucky he was that such a kind, loving, caring queen had chosen him. He wanted to try to live up to a fraction of what she deserved!

But how?

A soft tune carried across the yard, it must have been coming from some house nearby. Pounce sat up straight, an idea hit him. He smirked and scrambled to his paws. He had to start preparing.

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The afternoon sun was bright and full overhead. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. It was a beautiful day and the entire tribe had gathered to sun themselves in the clearing and catch up. Everything was perfect. Pounce hid himself in the shadow of his usual chair and waited.

It didn't take long for Victoria to enter the clearing. She seemed to look for something, or someone. She clearly didn't find who she was looking for and gave a slight shrug. Pounce felt a hint of guilt, knowing she was looking for him, but her not seeing him was part of his plan. He watched as the queen seemed to glide over to Jemima. He was almost too lost in watching her to remember his scheme. He quickly shook himself out of it and scanned the clearing. It was perfect; almost every tom's eyes followed her, as usual. He smirked. Plato was going to be his first victim. But that's what the tom got for dancing with Victoria like that during the last Jellicle Ball.

Pounce ran out and gave an acrobatic flip of off his chair, landing expertly in the center of the clearing. He noticed everyone's eyes were on him now. Good, just like he wanted. He took a last momentary swallow of nerves before running over the Plato. He threw his arm around the burly tom's broad shoulders and indicated with his head towards Victoria, who was sitting in shock on the TSE car.

"_I caught you, Sir, Having a look at her/As she went strolling by._" Pounce's tenor voice carried beautifully across the clearing. He had never sung in front of the tribe before, but this was a special event. "_Now didn't your heart go boom, boom, boom, boom, boom?/Didn't you sigh a sigh?_" Pounce acted out the last sigh, causing a few giggles to spread through the gathering.

The smaller tom jumped off of the pipe that Plato had been sitting on and turned to face the larger tom and shook his paw at Plato as if he was lecturing a kitten. "_I warn you sir, never to dream of her/Just bid such thoughts begone,/Or it'll be boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom/Boom, boom, boom, boom from then on._"

Pounce twirled to take in all the cats surrounding him. Every single cat in the clearing was sitting at attention, watching Pounce as he continued his performance. He could see the hint of doubt in everyone's eyes; no one was sure why he was singing about Victoria. He was going to let him know. "_For once in love with Viki/Always in love with Viki./Ever and ever, fascinated by her/Sets your heart afire to stay._"

The spotted tom at the center of the clearing stole a wink at Victoria before running across the clearing to his next victim. Pounce took a flying leap and landed in right in front of Mistoffelees. He leaned forward, staring straight into the tuxedoed tom's eyes. "_For once you're kissed by Viki,/Tear up your list, it's Viki./Ply her with bonbons, poetry and flowers/Moon a million hours away."_

Mistoffelees glanced away, unable to hold the eager tom's gaze. Pounce chuckled and jumped to the rug just to the right. Bomba and Tugger had been lounging luxuriously, but now they were sitting up, Bomba leaning on Tugger's shoulder. Pounce ignored Bomba except to wave her off of the maned tom's shoulder. The then naturally put his paws on the coon's shoulders as if to comfort a grieving tom. "_You might be the fickle-hearted rover/So carefree and bold/Who loves a girl and later thinks it over/And just quits cold._"

Bomba looked offended, but she couldn't decide whether to aim her anger at Tugger or Pounce. The spotted tom gave a soft laugh before leaping away and landing in the center of the clearing again. He slowly turned so that he was facing the beautiful white queen. Her eyes were wide in surprise. She glanced around the clearing before focusing back on Pounce, but his eyes never wavered.

He began to walk towards her as he continued, "_But once in love with Viki,/Always in love with Viki./Ever and ever, sweetly you'll romance her/Trouble is the answer will be..._" Pounce paused as if to contemplate his answer. The then burst out in a laugh that seemed to match the rhythm. "_Ha, ha, ha, ha_". He stopped again, his eyes fully focused on Victoria. Who cared if anyone was watching?

Pounce's approach halted as he reached the boot of the TSE car. He held out his arms as if offering himself to the queen sitting daintily on its hood. "_That Viki'd rather stay in love with me_!"

The song ended and Pounce stood there, breathless and waiting for a response. His mind began to panic. What if he embarrassed her? The tom quickly gave himself a mental scolding. Everything was going to be fine. This was perfect!

Victoria slid down the hood of the car, landing squarely in front of Pounce. Her face seemed devoid of emotion, as she looked Pounce up and down. After a second, a smile broke across her features followed by joyous laughter. "Pounce!" was all she managed to say before she cupped his face in each paw and pulled him towards her, meeting him with a passionate kiss.

Pounce's paws found their place around Victoria's waist as he pulled her even closer to him. His ears flicked in annoyance as a host of hoots and hollers rose from the clearing. The tom didn't care what they thought; he gave Victoria a gentle squeeze.

His lists were torn and he would moon a million hours away. And now everyone knew!

**A/N: Wow, who would have thought that my Pounce story would be the longest so far? Sorry for the length… I just couldn't stop it. Haha Stories write themselves, right? I just heard this song and immediately thought of Pounce, don't ask why. (If you haven't heard **_**Once in Love with **_**Amy, I highly recommend it!) I really tried my best to show how fun and innocent they were together, but I wanted to make sure they had some substance, not just fluff. I hope that all came across. I like it, but I always wonder if the others are getting what I'm trying to say. Please review and let me know what you thought! It means a TON! Yay for a happy ending! :)**


	7. Nothing

**Chapter 7: Nothing**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Cats.**

A large shaggy brown and tan patched cat sat on a particularly plush looking cushion at the edge of the clearing. As the cats passed, a few nods and words were exchanged. It was clear that all the cats held the elderly tom in high esteem.

A chilling wind began to pick up and the old tom clutched his fur and crossed his arms as if he could protect himself from the bone-chilling gushes of air. He lifted his wise, grey eyes to the sky. It had started out as such a beautiful day, but the sky had turned dark and foreboding; a storm would be here soon. His steel eyes turned back to the various cats as they began to disperse to their dens, eager to flee the oncoming torrent.

"Old Deuteronomy, would you like me to escort you to your den? The storm's going to be bad." A young tom interrupted Deuteronomy's thoughts. The tom had glistening steel fur that almost looked silver under the Jellicle moon and his pelt was streaked with black tabby stripes. His shoulders were broad and muscular; he was in the peak of his youth.

Deuteronomy remembered when he was the protector of the tribe and Devarim was his predecessor. Some days he missed his youth and those fleeting pleasures that are always taken for granted: like chasing a mouse. But most of the time, he had accepted the passing of time, and he appreciated this age of contemplation just as much. The shaggy tom held himself tighter and smiled a smile that can only be produced after years of patience and understanding. "I thank you, Munkustrap. But I believe the rain is a few minutes off. I think I'd like to sit here a moment or two longer."

Munkustrap cocked his head in puzzlement, but he knew better than to question the Jellicle leader. However, even though he accepted Deuteronomy's statement, he couldn't hide the worry that filled his face.

Deuteronomy gave soft but deep laugh. "I'll be fine, my boy. A little rain isn't going to hurt, just cause a little fur frizz."

The silver tabby had to laugh along with the elderly tom. He would never be able to follow Deuteronomy's thoughts. But he had plenty of years to learn. Instead, he just gave a quick nod before turning to jog towards his den. On his way, he grabbed a black and gold queen's paw, pulling her with him. The two giggled as they disappeared into one of the many hidden dens throughout the junkyard.

A gentle roll of thunder rang through the sky, muffled by the distance. It was close, but Deuteronomy was right, he did have a few moments to wait. He continued to survey the gathering as cats giggled to escape the storm. While no one liked getting wet, rain was an excellent excuse for lovers and friends to share private moments.

However, not all thoughts were happy. The oncoming storm seemed to mirror the disquiet raging in Deuteronomy's mind. As the cats scattered, the aged tom scanned the group repeatedly, looking for the streak of color that always brightened his day; that white coat, untouched as the virgin snow. It had been over two weeks since his little angel had graced the junkyard. He didn't know where she had gone; he just knew that he missed the queen.

Her name was Victoria and she was his grandniece, his sister's granddaughter. With the oncoming tempest, Deuteronomy couldn't help but think of that fateful night when Macavity had killed her parents. The kitten was too young to remember at the time, and Deuteronomy had always told her they had simply ascended to the Heaviside Layer, no more detail. The aging tom willingly took the kit in, much to his son, Tugger's, despair.

Of course, Deuteronomy knew that, as young as the kitten was, he needed to find a home for her; he couldn't keep up with kittens. He was already having trouble dealing with the rowdy teenager that Tugger had become. Additionally, he could tell from the spark in Victoria's eyes that she deserved more than the junkyard could offer. So, when she was old enough to understand the reasons for his actions, Deuteronomy took Victoria to a local neighborhood and managed to find a home for her. But she never forgot where she came from, and almost every day she would come back to the junkyard. She was the jewel of the yard and the apple of Old Deuteronomy's eye. However, her absence had grown heavy on the tom's heart.

The wind picked up, chilling the tom through his shaggy fur. He realized that he didn't dare sit outside any longer. He breathed a heavy sigh as he pulled himself off of his seat with some effort. Deuteronomy held his arms closer to his chest as he shook his legs a bit to regain circulation. His steel eyes threw a last glance towards the clearing and squinted through the onslaught of wind.

He froze.

Walking sleepily into the junkyard was an alabaster queen. It was Victoria, but it wasn't. The queen stumbling into the clearing wasn't the jewel of Deuteronomy's life; something was off about her. Her fur didn't shine like usual, and it had a grey tint to it. Had she been taking care of herself? Her crystal eyes that used to shine like the summer sky were dead and hollow. The color had fled her skin; her white fur along with her now pallid complexion gave the appearance of a ghost. And even though the petite queen shivered, she didn't seem to notice the ice-cold wind gripping her very being.

All the other cats had already found their shelter, much to Deuteronomy's pleasure. He slowly but gracefully tottered over to Victoria, glad to be the only cat left to greet her. For one, he didn't want anyone to see her in this state. He wasn't sure what was wrong, but sometimes the comfort that the tribe tries to provide is overbearing. Their main goal is to erase the misery and make the cat happy, but sometimes that isn't what's needed. Additionally, all the younger cats were much faster then him nowadays. He was happy that he would be able to approach her before anyone else, and hopefully find the source of this ghostly appearance.

Deuteronomy eventually made it to the queen, who had been standing there blankly, as if waiting for him to reach her. He wrapped his arms around her petite frame and took her into an embrace that was always reserved for her. A hefty chuckle emanated from Deuteronomy's chest as he tried to cover his shock. It was like he was hugging an ice cube. No warmth radiated from Victoria's body. How long had she been outside?

After Deuteronomy realized there were no paws squeezing him back, and leaned down to look in her eyes. Those sapphire eyes that used to be lit and alert seemed dull and dead. The eyes of a ghost seemed to stare through him at nothing in particular. "Victoria, my jewel?" He purred.

Those dead eyes seemed to flicker towards the old tom, but comprehension and focus still seemed to elude them. Victoria blinked a few times, as if processing what was going on around her. This wind picked up, sending another shiver through her body. "Hello Deuteronomy. I think I'm gonna go to my den now." Her voice was faraway and distant.

Shaggy paws grabbed Victoria's snowy arms and he gave them a quick rub, trying to inspire warmth in them. Deuteronomy quickly placed his arms around the young queen's shoulders, trying to ease her in a different direction. "But my jewel, the day is still young and I haven't seen you in a while. How about you come to my den, and we can catch up?"

No emotions registered across Victoria's face as she continued to stare into the distance. She gave a simple shrug and let Deuteronomy direct her towards his large, plush den. As the entered, the wind was immediately blocked and a kind of warmth radiated from somewhere within. Misto and the psychic twins had managed to bless each den with some form of central lighting. Dueteronomy's light was a large but simple lamp that stood off to the side. He quickly directed Victoria to the plushest cushion he had managed to find in the junk piles and scooted it as close the lamp, and the source of heat, as he could. It didn't take long for him to find a warm, fuzzy towel to drape around her fragile frame. The entire time, Victoria seemed unresponsive, mounting Deteronomy's fears.

The elderly cat sat right across from Victoria and placed his paws in his lap, trying to refrain them from reaching out and shaking the queen out of this strange stupor. "So, jewel, where have you been?"

If it was possible, her ghostly eyes seemed to grow more distant. Victoria stared out one of the makeshift windows that Deuteronomy had built into his den and watched the torrent begin to fall. The rain had finally come, and its incessant pounding against the junk pile seemed to add an eerie and depressing atmosphere to the den.

"Home." She stated flatly.

"And how has that been?"

There was no response. The beating droplets outside were the only things keeping silence from permeating the shelter.

Deuteronomy shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He kept trying to look away from the image before him, but she kept drawing him back in again. He had never had such a difficult time pulling the queen out of herself. She was usually the one to gush about the latest news while Deuteronomy just had to sit there and listen to his dearest kit. "Ahem. So…it's a good thing you got here before the rain."

Victoria continued to stare out at the blurred scenery caused by the downpour. "I guess."

The rest of the day passed in much the same manner. Victoria remained a ghost of herself, answering only when she had to, and in short, clipped responses. Her eyes never seemed to waiver from the rain. She had managed to stop shivering, but didn't look any better for it. Deuteronomy continued to try and produce a proper conversation, but his countless attempts ended in failure.

The pounding of the rain never ceased.

Even though the thunderstorm still raged outside, it was clear that evening was fast approaching. A momentary silence occurred as Deuteronomy ran out of possible conversation starters. As graceful as ever, Victoria stood from her seat and walked towards the door. "Thanks Deuteronomy, but I really should head back now."

Deuteronomy was aghast. The rain was still coming down in sheets. She couldn't possibly cross the junkyard in this weather, let alone the town to her house. "Victoria, why don't you stay here, it's pouring! Then tomorrow I can walk you to your humans."

Victoria turned towards Deuteronomy, and for the first time that day, fully focused her eyes on him. It felt as if he had received a swift punch to the gut (that wasn't something he forgot from his youth). Her gaze seemed to instantly bring tears to his eyes. The innocence, the joy, the love, everything that he was used to seeing sparkle behind her gaze was gone. And it wasn't simply missing, it looked as if it had been eradicated and hunted to extinction. Her very soul seemed to be tattered and thrown about, as if it was out in the storm itself. This was an image that he could never erase. Her eyes stunned him into silence. Even if he had known what words to say, Deuteronomy was sure that he wouldn't have had the voice to convey them.

Victoria's gaze faltered and quickly adopted the faraway look again. She turned towards the door and pushed the cloth aside. She held the flap firmly against the frame, seeming to steady herself in the doorway. "No. I'm not going home, I'm going to my den. I don't want to go home…And it's just water, not like it can hurt me."

With that, the queen vanished into the shadows and the thunder. Every once in a while, a flash of lightning illuminated the clearing, marking her progress. She really did look like a specter, wandering the yard without purpose. Eventually a flash lit up an empty clearing. Deuteronomy assumed she had found a den, but if he hadn't just had a conversation with her, he would have sworn he had seen a ghost.

Deuteronomy was floored, if he had stood up, he was sure that he would have fallen right back down. What had happened to the apple of his eye? Where was the queen that would squeal if even a drop of water hit her? She used to run to his arms and giggle as she found comfort in his embrace. Where had she gone and could she ever be found?

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Victoria remained in the yard for the next few days. She never left to visit her home, and never once mentioned the reason for her long absence. Everyday, Deuteronomy tried to converse with the queen, and still received nothing. She did her best to avoid everyone in the yard. Deuteronomy could tell that most of the cats grew more and more concerned for the queen, especially Mistoffelees, but she would remain near none. She would only sit and converse with Deuteronomy, but who could turn down the Jellicle leader?

Over the days, it had appeared that her depression had begun to fade, but it was instead replaced with a kind of smoldering fury that Deuteronomy didn't think was possible in such a gentle kit. Her every word and look seemed to convey a heart in a tumultuous war with itself.

One fateful morning, Victoria was lying on a large pipe, by herself as usual. Any cat would be completely at peace on the warm black metal, but even in solitude, Victoria still seemed upset.

Deuteronomy had exchanged his greetings with the other cats around the yard, and now decided to look for Victoria for the day. Every time he hoped that he would be able to pull a story out of her. At this point, he would really take any kind of response, but he still seemed to remain in conversations with himself.

It didn't take long for him to find her, and he pulled a blanket lying at the base of the pipe over, and settled himself into a comfortable seat. As if taking a queue from his movements, Victoria slid down off the pipe to land in an ungraceful pile next to Deuteronomy. This action gave the tom some hope. She had never actively made an effort to be near him since that stormy night. Maybe she was ready to share with him?

Deuteronomy waited in silence, hoping that queen would open up on her own. However, she just continued to sit there, fiddling with her paws in her lap. Deuteronomy let out a sigh, unsure of where to start today. Maybe he could interest her in the future? "Victoria," He purred, placing his paw on one of her fiddling ones, "Are you excited for the Jellicle Ball? It's in a few week, you know."

Victoria simply stared at his paw on hers. She had stopped her nervous movements, but supplied little else in response. "Oh." She mewed, neither in agreement or dissent.

Deuteronomy wasn't going to be deterred so easily. He wasn't denied, so there might still be hope. "You always have such fun! I look forward to seeing you dance again, have you been practicing?"

Silence pervaded as she withdrew her paws from under his large, shaggy ones and crossed her arms as she clutched at her sides, pulling on her fur. Deuteronomy could no longer tell what was on her mind these past few days, but he was ready to take a gamble, perhaps she was ready to tell him. "I'm sure it will be lovely no matter what. It will also be nice to see another cat ascend to a new life. It's always painful at first, but it makes my heart soar to know they have another chance at life, for their soul to find peace and joy…" Deuteronomy leaned his head back, closing his eyes.

His peace was disturbed as his paws were flung off of Victoria's lap. She had scrambled to her paws and looked down at him, her face contorted in pain and anger. Her sides were heaving as she tried to control her warring emotions.

Deuteronomy looked up at the queen in utter surprise. He had never seen that fury before, especially directed at him. "Victoria?"

"Stop it!" She hissed, clutching her sides again as if trying to keep herself from being ripped apart. "Stop lying!" Her breath came ragged between gritted teeth.

The old tom couldn't fully comprehend what had happened. He simply blinked, trying to live through the past conversation. "What? What are you talking about Victoria? Are saying the Heaviside Layer and the new li-"

"_Shut up!_" Screamed the queen, clutching her paws to her ears. "Just stop!"

A few cats looked up at the anger-filled cry. Rarely was there such fury in the yard, and never had it been directed at their gentle leader. There were some surprised eyes when they realized the source was Victoria. Some of them made attempts to make their way over to the two in an attempt to diffuse the situation. Deuteronomy held his paws out to the others, telling them that he would be fine. Victoria wouldn't do anything to him, that he knew.

"Victoria, listen." Deuteronomy said as he slowly pulled himself to his paws. He tried to take the snowy queen's paws in his own. Victoria continued to shake her head and took a step back.

"No!" She hissed. She quickly lowered her voice, though not losing a hint of her venom. "You listen to _me_." Deuteronomy had never been spoken to like that; he was taken aback, but not upset. If something was bothering Victoria, he wanted more than anything to let it off her chest.

"It's not real! There's no such thing as the Heaviside Layer or a second life! Why do you tell everyone there is?" Tears began to prick at Victoria's eyes, and she quickly tried to blink them away.

Deuteronomy wasn't sure if the tears were from anger or sadness, all he could do was try and figure the source of it. "What do you mean? Victoria, you don't-"

"I said stop!" She hissed, backing up again. It was as if she thought she could flee from her problems. She was desperately putting up walls while also frantically trying to bust through them, looking for a paw to hold her. "I _do_ know!" She began to struggle for words as her breath caught in her throat. "Cassie _died_…_there is no Heaviside Layer!_"

Deuteronomy was shocked into silence. He didn't know how to react. Cassie was Victoria's owner and her best friend. He had never seen a relationship between owner and cat as strong and loving as Victoria and Cassie's. What had happened? Cassie was young, only a few years out of kittenhood.

It seemed a good thing that Deuteronomy wasn't able to speak; Victoria wasn't done. "I saw her lying on that bed at home! She was still in school, not even a full queen! I don't…I _can't _believe that there is _any_ kind of being that would allow…allow…allow such a thing to happen to someone who'd only begun her life. I watched her Deuteronomy! I _watched_ her fade, her strength leave, I _saw_ her very soul give up! And there was _nothing_ afterwards! She was still there, and her parents sobbed. Nobody would allow that to happen. And if I'm wrong and there is and Everlasting Cat, then I don't want any part of the heartless being's following. Just because the Jellicles put a pretty name and ceremony to it doesn't change it… death is _nothing_!"

Victoria's legs began to tremble and buckle under the weight of grief that had unfairly been loaded on the queen's shoulders. Deuteronomy realized that she was too young to remember her parents' deaths, and aside from that, she had never really experienced real loss. Sure, she had seen others ascend to the Heaviside Layer, but she was never real close to them. And she was right; the Jellicles did manage to tie that burden with a pretty bow.

The queen let her eyes fall from Deuteronomy's and stare at her trembling hands. "It-it's just not fair." She choked out as another wave of sobs hit her. Everything had become too much and the queen crumpled to the ground. She quickly covered her ears and leaned over, rocking back and forth on her knees while shaking her head in misery. "I'm scared Deuteronomy…I'm so scared. It's j-just nothing." But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't block the vastness of the realization from her mind.

Cautiously, Deuteronomy went over to the destroyed queen and gently placed his paws on her shoulder. This time, she showed nor resistance; in fact she leaned into his paws, desperately seeking the comfort she couldn't grasp. He pulled her into a gentle embrace, tears wetting his own cheeks. If he could, Deuteronomy would have protected Victoria from every ugly emotion in this world. Before, he had wondered what had happened to his little jewel. He realized now that life had happened to her, and that was something now one could protect her from.

Minutes passed as Victoria continued to sob in Deuteronomy's arms. The queen seemed to tear herself in two as she let herself drown in overwhelming emotions. Eventually, the queen ran out of tears and her body shivered with exhaustion. The old tom held her tighter, trying to keep her together, and if he could, give her some of his energy. He slowly began to scratch Victoria behind her ear in her favorite spot. All she needed was a little hope. But as resilient as the emotion is, it is extremely hard to inspire in someone who has willingly refused it.

Suddenly, Deuteronomy had a plan. "Victoria, my jewel," He purred as gently as he could. "Would you go for a walk with me?"

Chrystal eyes, shimmering with tears, looked up at Deuteronomy with a look of confusion and doubt. It was clear that she didn't see the reasons for his sudden request. "But…"

"Please, my jewel?"

Victoria gave a reluctant nod. No one could refuse the tribe leader.

The two sat together for a few minutes longer, allowing Victoria to regain some of her strength. She eventually gave Deuteronomy's shaggy arms a squeeze, indicating that she was ready to go. She slowly stood up and held her paws out to the older tom, helping him to his back paws as well. Her earlier fury had now been replaced by a bottomless sadness. She seemed as if she was simply going through the motions expected of her with no real feeling behind them.

Deuteronomy took of her diminutive paws in his own and slowly began to their journey out of the junkyard. The two cats settled into a deliberate pace as they wove through the alleys and side streets. Silence pervaded as neither one knew exactly what to say.

They finally turned into a darker looking alley, and Victoria pulled to a halt. "Deuteronomy, I want to go back." She mewed, pulling her paws close to her chest and taking a few nervous steps back.

Deuteronomy turned around and held out a comforting paw to the queen. "Please, Victoria, there is something I want to show you."

Her sapphire gaze glanced from Deuteronomy to the alley behind him. Eventually she ran forward and took his shaggy paw, her own paws shaking.

They passed through the dark and cold alley, stopping at a decrepit door with decaying boards. The entrance was set deep inside very old looking stones. Each brick was aged, with varying shades of grey and irregular edges to belay the many elements that they had withstood over countless years. From just looking at it, Victoria was overwhelmed at the sheer age of the building before her. She glanced up to see how tall it was, and as if the height of the majority of the building wasn't enough, near the front, the roof tapered into a tower reaching soaring heights.

Victoria took a tentative step forward and placed a shaking paw on the stone wall. She felt the heat flee her body as a steady coldness began to seep through her body. She then rested her forehead against the wall, enjoying the numbness that accompanied the chill. She smiled, hoping that somehow the stones would give her the strength she needed to simply live another day.

A gentle paw rested lightly on her shoulder, and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "There's more." He purred, using his paw to softly pull her back towards the door.

Victoria willingly followed Deuteronomy and slipped between the boards over the door. As soon as she passed over the threshold, Victoria could feel the temperature in the air drop a few degrees. The building was old, and had been abandoned for a while.

She dutifully followed Deuteronomy's tail as he wove his way further into the darkened building. Just like any Jellicle cat, Victoria's eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness and she realized they were walking between large wooden benches. They were a deep mahogany hue, and even though the building was clearly abandoned, she could still see the majestic beauty that seemed inherent in these simple structures. Normally Victoria would've jumped up to explore each seat, but she seemed to have lost the interest in exploring.

After a brisk walk between the benches, the two cats emerged in a large center aisle. More of the building came into view as Victoria quickly looked around and took in her surroundings. There were at least a hundred benches lined up in perfect rows, all facing the same direction. The ceiling was higher than any human room she had ever seen. It probably touched the stars.

As Victoria was still soaking in every detail she could make out about the large room, the sun emerged from behind a cloud outside. The room was suddenly bathed in a beauty that took Victoria's breath away. Even Deuteronomy, who had seen it before was struck speechless.

The room seemed to dance in bright colors. Every color that a cat could imagine painted the floors, benches, and walls. Victoria's pelt was as white as a canvas and seemed to soak in every shade. She was stunned at the beauty that now seemed a part of her. After staring at her paws for a moment, she turned her head to find the source of this grandeur.

Just behind a large table set at one end of the room, a large image, as big as the wall seemed to glow with the sunlight. The picture was made up of a million tiny pieces of colorful glass, each shining in its own splendor. The picture was actually a compilation of many different images. Victoria wasn't quite sure what was going on in them, but she could easily tell that they were scenes of love and gentle kindness.

"Where…where are we?" She whispered, afraid that she would lose the magic if she spoke too loudly.

Deuteronomy quietly pulled out two ratty cushions that were stowed under the benches, offering one to Victoria. She gracefully accepted, settling with her face set in impatient expectation.

The old cat let a feint smile grace his lips, and his eyes waivered to the window behind the queen. She looked like a pure angel. "We're in what humans call a church." He purred, noting the cock of Victoria's head. "It's where people gather to worship God."

"God?"

Deuteronomy stopped to think he answer through. "It's like the humans version of the Everlasting Cat."

Victoria stiffened at the mere mention of the feline deity.

"Well, I should say he's _some_ of the human's equivalent." Deuteronomy paused to let his words sink in. "We are in a gathering place for Christianity, it's a religion. It's for people to gather and praise and speak to God.

"There's other religions in the world too. There's even one that is similar to what we believe; second lives and all. Each one is different and unique. But the have very common threads too."

Victoria leaned forward, growing more interested in what Deuteronomy had to say.

"No matter what religion you're looking at, they all believe in the power of love and good deeds. And all see some higher being or simply power that rewards those core values. All of them believe in something for the soul, something beyond death."

Victoria looked away, staring at the shadows under the benches; the only location that remained untouched by the ethereal light. "Those are all empty wishes… I saw it, there was nothing."

Deuteronomy stood on his tottery legs and made his way over to the queen's cushion. He slowly sat himself down next to Victoria and gathered her white paws in his. "Victoria, can cats, people, and even dogs all be wrong?"

Victoria flashed a glance at Deuteronomy before turning back to the shadows. "You don't know what dogs believe…and it's possible." Her voice didn't sound as confident as before.

With a heavy shake of his head Deuteronomy let out a small chuckle. "You're right about the first part, I don't know that much about pekes and pollicles, but I'm pretty sure they have something similar too.

"But I have to disagree with you on the rest of your statement. I can't believe that everyone is wrong. Sometimes it only takes a belief to inspire hope. Maybe you or I can't see it, but I want to believe that Cassie's, or anyone's soul, doesn't disappear. It has to find some kind of peace. It's like gravity, you or I can't see it, but it will always bring your paws firmly to the ground."

Tears began to trace paths down Victoria's cheeks. Hiccups caught her breath. "I-I want to believe, I do…Not believing is so-so lonely… but it's so hard. I saw…I saw…"

Deuteronomy hugged the queen tighter to him, like he used to in days gone bye, when she would mess up her dances in front of everyone. "You saw her body. I am sure her spirit is free…it may even be here, caring for you." As he said the last sentence, Deuteronomy pulled a small but beautiful violet from the place he had hidden it in the shadows. He held it out to Victoria, motioning for her to take it. "I'm sure she'll listen if you want to talk to her." He motioned with is head to the table at the front of the room.

Victoria looked up at Deuteronomy, her eyes full of hesitation, but he recognized a feint spark hidden deep in the recesses of her heart. Slowly but surely, Victoria took the small purple offering from Deuteronomy and turned to head towards the alter. She deftly jumped onto the table, making sure not to disturb the large tome that lay opened at its center. She couldn't read the strange words scripted across its pages, but she could still feel a kind of warmth radiate from it. The white queen sat down on the table and clutched the flower close to her heart as she gazed up at the beautiful window. A kind of calmness overcame her. Somehow she felt that she could sense Cassie, and the queen began to speak in low, hushed tones.

Deuteronomy remained on his seat, farther back in the church. This was a private moment, and not one to disturb. He knew that Victoria would say what she needed to say with no help from him. He couldn't look away from her erect back, silhouetted by the sun streaming into the sanctuary.

Minutes passed as blissful silence filled the room, every once and a while broken by a muffled word or sob from Victoria. Eventually she jumped off the alter, the violet left on the mysterious book. She trotted towards Deuteronomy, a ghost of her old smile gracing her lips. It was a welcome improvement.

The old tom welcomed the queen with a long embrace before heading towards the door, his arms securely around her shoulders.

"Deuteronomy." She purred, looking into the tom's gentle face. The spark in her eyes had grown bigger, and there was even a touch of her old gentleness. "Can we come back here sometime?"

He smiled, nuzzling the queen's cheek before kissing her button nose. "As often as you would like, my jewel."

Victoria gave a weak nod as they headed back to the junkyard.

**A/N: So what did you think? I am sure you are tired of hearing this a lot, but I'm really unsure. I might come back and tweak it a bit? It's one of those things that it was brilliant in your head when you knew the exact emotions you wanted to convey, but when it came to the dialogue, I really struggled…I dunno… Please review and let me know what you think! I think my other ones to come are gonna rock though! :P Thank you so much for following. And a most sincere thanks to everyone who has reviewed, it means the world and the stars to me!**


	8. Dance For Me

**Chapter 8: Dance For Me**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own Cats! If I did, I would have never ending performances! haha**

The Jellicle moon illuminated the clearing, as an angel moved through the light. It was actually a fellow Jellicle, but the way the moonlight radiated off her pristine fur, it created an ethereal glow about her that simply couldn't be from this world. And her dancing seemed so effortless and fluid that only a seraph could glide like that.

I just couldn't tear eyes away as every dance move was flawlessly perfect. Her lines were faultless, as if they were drawn. She lifted her leg until her paw was just above her ear. She slid down into a perfect split, her entire body pressed against the ground. I didn't even know that cats could look so lovely. But then again, if any cat could exhibit such beauty, it would be her. She was the Everlasting Cat's real masterpiece.

She gracefully lay on her side and lifted a delicate paw in the air, reaching for the Jellicle Moon. I couldn't tear my eyes away as I watched her roll onto her back and lift her legs straight towards the sky. A sigh escaped my lips as every move seemed as easy to her as breathing. It made me realize how lowly my attempts at dancing really were. Something as simple as straightening my knees always seemed to elude me. I couldn't help but notice that she danced through her entire limb; nothing was too small or unimportant. I was lucky if I followed through the entire dance move before transitioning into the next one.

Those factors played a significant role in ensuring that I never received a dance solo in any of the Jellicle Balls. They were just the cherry on the top of the fact that I just wasn't a good dancer. It didn't help my self-esteem that I never received a singing solo either. I just didn't seem to have any real strength that lent itself to the ball. Even my sister, Electra had a brief solo, so I couldn't blame genetics. Maybe I was just meant to sit in the background. At least it provided me an excellent seat for watching her dance through the night.

Her solo drew to a close and Mistoffelees came out of nowhere to summon her into another dance, inviting the rest of the Jellicles to the ball. I ran out with the rest of the tribe to watch them dance before gesturing towards the Jellicle moon. I made sure to pick a perfect position, just behind the tuxedoed tom, so I could see the queen elegantly extend her arms to the stars. Even when she wasn't dancing, every movement was fluid and beautiful. I knew I was jealous of her skills, but that feeling paled in comparison to the envy that filled my very being every time I saw the queen dance with the magical tom.

That queen was known as Victoria. She was a beautiful, white Jellicle and was one of the youngest queens in the yard. The previous ball had been her first ever ball as a full queen. Even then she had earned a dance solo; she was the youngest queen to receive such an honor. She had yet to have a singing solo, but I was frequently close enough to her to know that it wouldn't be long before she was given one of those as well.

I went through the motions of the ball as usual, doing my best to ignore how the toms fawned over her like the queens did for Tugger. Misto seemed to constantly be at her side. I noticed Jerrie help her down from the Tire as Tumble and Misto danced through the clearing. It didn't escape me when she rested her head on Pouncival's shoulder as he illuminated Tugger. I didn't even want to remember the mating dance she performed with Plato. Luckily it was simply a tradition, and didn't mean anything, but I couldn't fight the sting of jealousy.

It was another ball down, another year marked. As usual, there was nothing remarkable or memorable for me. Of course Macavity had attacked, but he did that every year. Mistoffelees was able to bring Deuteronomy back, but that had nothing to do with me. It was just another ball under my belt, blending into the rest of them. Was this my fourth or my fifth ball? Did it really matter?

Dawn had broken and the tribe began to settle down for a well-deserved slumber. Tails slunk into dens hidden throughout the junkyard. However, I didn't feel like sleeping; I still had energy left, energy to burn. I guessed that was one of the downsides of simply being in the background.

I wound my way to one of the many forgotten clearings in the yard. Just like any Jellicle, I began to dance to relieve my pent up energy. I quickly turned and kicked, my limbs a blur as I danced as aggressively as I could. I knew I wasn't following any kind of technique, but I just wanted to tire myself out. It didn't take long for the music in my mind to completely take over my body. But wasn't that how it always went? I always let technique fall to wayside and the music seemed to overtake me. My mother used to tell me that it was a good thing that I became one with the music. But that didn't get you solos, and it certainly didn't get you noticed by queens like Victoria.

I let out a sigh. But I was only going to allow myself a single moment for self-pity.

I decided to try to perform that dance move Mistoffelees was so proud of. What did he call it, the conjuring turn? Either way, it didn't matter. I began to run around the perimeter of the small clearing, jumping periodically between twirls. I knew that I wasn't doing it anything like he did, but I didn't care. I began to add my own individual flairs and I could suppress the chuckle no longer. This was fun. Maybe if I tried it more, I could make my own dance move out of it?

I paused to catch my breath. This move was so fun and burned so much energy that I decided I would just perform it the entire morning. Just as I was about to make my running start, a small noise reached my ears. It wasn't anything ominous or loud, but it was enough to stop me. If I had to guess, I would have said that a small kitten had sneezed. I quickly turned to find the intruder. Perhaps one of the kittens had snuck out of their den and chosen this clearing as a place to hide.

Turning, I quickly found what didn't belong. Hidden in a junk pile and staring at me from among the shadows were sapphire eyes framed in white fur. Their luster was mesmerizing. I had never seen them staring directly at me, and I really wasn't prepared for the power they held. They had the innocence of a kitten and yet the maturity of a queen well beyond her years. A far away, distant look played at the corners of her eyes, but at the same time I felt a kind of intimacy in them that I had never known. They seemed full of contradictions, and all I wanted was to tease each one out and learn all about her.

White paws covered that button pink nose that I found so endearing. I realized that Victoria was clearly the one who had sneezed. Then it dawned on me: she had a secret clearing that she rehearsed in. I always saw the toms like Plato and Tumble ask her where it was. She never told them, or anyone. It was probably so that she could practice her dancing in peace. Isn't there a saying that a secret can only be kept if you are the only one to know? It was something like that.

I straightened up, realizing the problem I was most likely causing. I wasn't sure what to do; I had never actually interacted with her before. I mean, clearly I needed to apologize, but it wasn't something that I could casually brush aside. "I'm so sorry, V-Victoria." It felt wonderful to have her name roll of my lips; I could've continued to say it forever. "I didn't mean to disturb you…er, what I mean is…If this is your…" I couldn't seem to find my words. I took a deep breath and blurred my words together. "I'm super sorry! I'll leave now." An immediate blush spread across my face as I realized I had bowed at the end of my statement. Not the types of 'cute' bow that Mistoffelees gives when he greets cats, but the kind that you give to ruler, to a queen.

I slowly lifted my head, afraid to look into her eyes; they had to be judging me now. Even though my face was white, at least the fur around my cheeks was gray. I hoped that it would hide my blush a little bit.

Her eyes took on a worried expression as she quickly shook her head. She quickly crawled out from her place in the shadows and carefully picked her way down the pile, as graceful as ever.

She probably was worried that I would find her rude or something. She was so kind, and always cared what others thought. All she wanted was for everyone to be happy. Actually, she never was like that towards me, but I could tell from her interactions with others around the yard. I quickly flashed her the best smile I could muster. "Don't worry about it Victoria. I totally understand. There are tons of clearings for me. No harm no foul." I wanted to make sure she knew that I didn't think any less of her.

I turned to leave. I actually had no intention of finding another clearing. I wanted to go back to my den and relish what little time I had spent with her. I figured that might have sounded creepy, but I wanted to etch every detail into my mind, so I could remember it forever.

Suddenly, I felt gentle, petite paws clasp my own, giving my arm a soft tug. This couldn't be real, could it? Was Victoria really trying to stop _me_ from leaving? The beautiful queen looked up at me through long, fluttering lashes. I could see myself reflected in her eyes. They were filled with a kind of worrying, caring, and some other emotion that I had never seen there before. There was some kind of sparkle hidden deep in her gaze and it was so entrancing.

I never realized how truly small she was. I knew that she was a petite queen, not too much larger than Jemima, and I could've gotten the hint when I realized that she was equivalent to Mistoffelees's stature, but her size still shocked me. She had never really been this close to me before. She was such a petite queen, I could probably pick her up in one arm, and if I used both I could cradle her like a kit. The tip of her ears barely reached my shoulder.

She gave another small tug on my arm, looking up at me with all earnestness. "Addie-" Her voice quickly caught in her throat as she gave a slight shake of her head. Her white fur didn't provide the same luxury that mine did, and I noticed a feint blush spread across her cheeks. "I-I mean Admetus… um… There's no reason to apologize. I didn't mean to spy… it's just… I mean this _is_ the clearing I usually… but you see…"

Victoria refused to look me in the eye again. She studied the ground as if she had lost her words somewhere among the newspapers and the plastic bags. After a few more moments of bumbling through her phrases, her eyes finally fell to rest on what I had been staring at the entire time. My paw was still securely held between her own. An odd kind of heat had been radiating up my arm, and a kind of tingling sensation blossomed in the pit of my stomach. Her blush intensified as she immediately dropped my paw and clasped her paws behind her.

"What I meant was. This _is_ my rehearsal clearing, so I didn't mean to spy. But _please_ don't stop. I-I like it when you dance." She blurted out, standing erect and at attention.

I was stunned. All I could do was stare at her. What as she talking about? No one had ever asked me to continue dancing, or even to watch. Was she teasing me? Was she getting some kind of sick pleasure from realizing how great a dancer she was? Even with those questions burning in my mind, I couldn't believe them. She was so sweet, so kind, her eyes were so pure. I wasn't sure how to respond.

Victoria shuffled her back paws nervously, unsure of what to make of my silence. She quickly ran her paws through her headfur and shook her head again. She let out a feint laugh. It was a magical sound. Was it like silver bells, or singing birds, or a babbling brook? No, it was something entirely different and unique. It could only be described as what it was: Victoria's laugher. I just wanted to surround myself in it.

I pulled myself out of my trance to catch her words as she began to speak again. "I'm really sorry. I mean, you didn't ask anyone to watch you. I really shouldn't watch. But please, keep dancing. I'll leave now. As you said, there are plenty of other clearings in the yard. I can go find one."

She threw a dazzling smile in my direction and turned to leave the yard. It was a slow, almost reluctant retreat. Somehow, my brain fought through numbness that encompassed it and asked the question I meant to ask minutes ago. "Why?" I purred almost in a whisper.

As quiet as my question was, her feline ears still picked up my voice. I watched as her ear twitched towards me and she slowly turned around. Her tail began to sway with some enthusiasm. A smile seemed to ghost her lips as she looked at me with a questioning gaze. "Why what?" She mewed.

I shook my head, still unable to fully process what was happening. "Why do you want me to keep dancing?"

Her smile grew broader as she turned all the way around. She shrugged her shoulders and looked down at the ground, that lovely pink tinting her skin again. "I dunno. I guess the easiest way to explain I is that I'm jealous of your dancing."

A long silence ensued; one that you feel you could cut with a knife, but not in the same way as when Deuteronomy picks a cat. It was definitely a more awkward silence. I shook my head and let out an exasperated chuckle. Surely she was joking. This wasn't really happening. How long had I prayed to merely be in her presence? Now, here I was, not only in her presence, but having an individual conversation with her, and she was telling me that she was jealous…of _me_. This was a dream or something. Maybe she was lying? Too much was happening too fast, I just couldn't keep up. "I think I misheard you…" I said, unsure of how to explain that that just couldn't be true. The most beautiful dancer in the tribe couldn't possibly be envious of a mundane nobody like me.

She laughed again, the noise ringing in my ears. If I wasn't so confused and stunned, I probably would have smiled back. She took a step towards me and back into the clearing. She lifted her gaze to meet mine. That mysterious emotion was much more prevalent now, and a smile crinkled the corners of her eyes.

I managed to smile back, losing myself in her eyes. This wasn't a joke, and there was no malicious pleasure or trick she was trying to play. But I still had to have misunderstood; there just was no way. This time it was my turn to shrug and drop my gaze. I shook my head a few times. "I mean you dance so beautifully! I-My dancing is so rudimentary and ugly compared to…to a master like you. I really can't dance for you, you deserve a much finer show." I rubbed my arms as if a shill had run through them.

Victoria took another step and bent over and craned her neck, trying to catch my eyes. Hers seemed to be laughing now. It was such a friendly and endearing expression, how could anyone deny her what she wanted? I certainly couldn't, and I let her eyes capture mine. Her smile broadened and she straightened up, happy to have my gaze. She chuckled and began to fiddle with her paws in front of her. "I think I can be the judge of what I'd like to see. And I would like to watch you dance if you'd let me. I _am_ jealous of your dancing. I adore watching you dance. You always look like you're having so much fun. I-I always wished that I could dance with such…abandon and enjoyment. I can't ever look away from you."

I was floored. Was she serious? Was the reason I never got the solos the same reason that the master of the dance was jealous of me? A quick glance at her eyes told me that she was indeed telling the truth.

I began to sputter, trying to collect my thoughts. I couldn't tear myself away from her alluring eyes. "I-but-you see-I mean…" I took a momentary pause, and hit the reset button in my mind. "But your dancing is so beautiful and talented! It's the most amazing thing I've ever seen! And you dance all the time. You must enjoy it!"

She laughed again, but this wasn't the beautiful sound that I would forever remember. This laughter was hollow and empty, and as fake as I could tell that it was, it was definitely something that I heard her utter in the yard all the time. Whenever someone would compliment her on dancing, it was the response they would always receive. I never knew how fake that chuckle sounded until I heard her real one tonight. "Well, I guess you are half right. It's kinda hard to explain." Her gaze faltered and fell to her shuffling back paws. Her tail swayed up to meet her paws and she took hold of it in an attempt to stop her nervous fidgeting. "Don't get me wrong, I like the exhaustion afterwards. But more than anything I like it because everyone else likes it. I started dancing for enjoyment, but then…somewhere I lost control."

Her voice sounded so sad that all I wanted to do was go up to her and take her into an embrace. I did take a step towards her, but quickly stilled my arms. I didn't want to make her uncomfortable. Just because I had loved her for as long as I could remember didn't mean she was comfortable enough to be taken into my arms. I mean tonight was really the first time we had ever actually spoken to one another. Wait a minute…did I just describe my feelings as love? I knew I had a crush, but love? Maybe I was just letting the Jellicle Ball haze my mind.

"Lost control?" I cocked my head, trying my best to suppress the urge to take her paws in mine.

She shrugged as she resumed her fidgeting, this time with her tail. "I can't give you an exact time or dance, but at some point, it wasn't for the fun of it anymore. Almost for as long as I can remember, I've danced for everyone else. All I can think about is if my lines are straight, or if I fully extended my leg, or something like that. I place an immense pressure on myself…it becomes more of a nerve-wracking performance that I have to do. I can't feel the emotions of the dance anymore; it's like going through a predetermined list of dance moves with no music, no inspiration. Even when I'm alone, all I can think about is if I performed each move properly. It's not fun at all…I've lost the music!"

She glanced back up at me, her eyes sparkling with a haze of tears. One of her paws disengaged from her tail and held it out towards me. She seemed to realize what she had done and froze, her paw still in midair. Something took me over and I quickly closed the gap between us with my paw and took a firm hold of hers. "But you know, no one would mind if you messed up a few times, as long as you were happy."

She shook her head, but didn't remove her paw. She glanced at our paws intertwined, and her ghost smile appeared for a fleeting moment before fading away. "I mean, I think in the back of my mind, I know they'll still accept me…but I can't help but wonder if they will still respect me so and see me as a friend. I mean I can't sing like Jemima, I don't lead an interesting life like Skimbles or Gus. All I have is my dancing and my looks." Her face became disgusted for a moment. "And I want to _earn_ their respect. I don't want it because of the way I look, which will eventually fade anyways."

The awkward silence hit us again.

She lifted her eyes and held mine, a kind of desperation calling out to me. Her paw gave mine a gentle squeeze. I brought my other paw up; her tiny one became lost between both of mine. Without saying a word, I tried to use my eyes to encourage her to continue.

She seemed to take the hint and squeezed my paws again, rolling onto the tips of her back paws. "But I can see your face when you dance! You really just enjoy what you're doing. Every expression and every movement is for the sake of the dance. You don't dance for anyone but yourself…that's something I can never emulate…that's real beauty." She took another step closer, our bodies only inches apart. I breathed in her scent. I would have sworn that I could almost hear her heart beating. Was it speeding as fast as mine?

Her tail fell behind her as she released it and cupped my paws. She pulled our paw against her chest. Her heart was beating faster than mine. "Please Admetus." She whispered. "Please dance. Let me enjoy it a little longer…"

I froze for only a few seconds before a smile spread across my face. It was probably quite a clownish grin, but I couldn't suppress the giddy excitement that overwhelmed me. I was making her heart beat fast. I could make her smile and forget her worries. What wasn't there to smile about?

My smile must have been contagious, because she quickly smiled in return, hers growing with every second. She performed a small bouncing kind of dance as her excitement overcame her. "Oh, does that mean you'll dance just a bit more?" She purred, clutching my paws closer to her chest. "Thank you Admetus! I-I'll sit right over there, completely out of your way!"

Without warning, she deftly untangled her paws from mine and began to jog towards her original position on a small pile of junk. I had only a moment to act. I took off across the small clearing and reached out my paw. In mere seconds, I caught up to the snowy queen and grasped her paw. Before she even had time to respond, I pulled her paw up and around her, causing her to quickly perform a beautiful turn. As she turned to face me for the second time, I reached out with my free paw and caught her waist. Even with a surprised look on her face, she instinctively ended and what almost looked like a choreographed pose: her free arm out to the side and slightly up with a small arch to her back.

I met her smile with my own. "You know, you can call me Addie if you want."

She let out a small giggle, but didn't drop her position. I quickly leaned over, her reactions to me earlier overtaking my shyness. Maybe I wasn't as invisible as I thought. I waited until my lips were close to her ear and whispered, "You know, a secret between me and you: no one's watching."

Once again, I didn't give her even a moment to react as I spun her again. A new plan bloomed in my mind. I continued to spin, lift, and guide her around the clearing, never giving her a moment to react or adapt. Every time, as she was about to fall into old habits and predetermined poses, I swept her off into a new dance move.

I kept going, making up the dance as we went along. I refused to stop until I heard the sound that had already become my world. A peal of laughter rang through the clearing as I lifted Victoria over my head and spun. I couldn't help but laugh too. It was probably something I would always do from now on whenever I heard her laugh. It was just so beautiful to know that she was happy.

We continued to laugh as Victoria learned the dance's intricate patterns and nuances. She anticipated the dance moves, but not as she used to with choreographed poses, but just to become one with the dance. From the glances I managed to steal from her face, this was real laughter, real happiness. From what she had said, this wasn't something that she had felt when dancing for a long time. I couldn't help but feel a swell of pride as I realized that I had helped her achieve that.

We continued to dance in complete harmony for a few minutes more before stopping to catch our breath. Victoria playfully spun away from me as I let my paws fall to my knees, supporting my body as I continued to pant. Her giggling couldn't seem to stop, something that I didn't mind in the least. I laughed along with her, looking up to see her clutching her sides.

She seemed to glow a beautiful pink. Some of it was from the physical exercise, but the full body tint was due to the sun that had just begun to peak over the junk piles. It was almost comical, but completely beautiful. She really did look like an angel, as always.

My angel.

Her giggling caused her to take a little longer in recovering her breath, but eventually she settled to only a light panting with only a few giggles.

An idea hit me. It was dangerous gamble of an idea, but I knew that it was now or never. Either the sparkle in her eyes, or the magic of the sunrise, or some other power not from this world seemed to fill me with a courage that I had never felt before.

I slowly walked over to where the queen stood, taking her paw in mine once again. How had I ever lived without it? Mine was where hers belonged, wasn't it obvious?

I watched Victoria immediately tense, ready for another dancing frenzy. But she couldn't anticipate my next plan. I gently guided her in a slow turn and pulled her against my body. I began to lead her into a sensual, slow dance. Luckily, whether it was an awakened memory, or me, she maintained her smile, avoiding her practiced lines and extensions. Heck, I was pretty sure I saw a slight bend in her knee as she lifted it behind her.

I reached my paw under her leg and assisted to lift it a tad higher before I ran it down the length of her limb. Her leg quivered like it always did, but it was somehow different. I couldn't say exactly how, maybe it was because it wasn't a choreographed move; this one was spontaneous and unrehearsed. She meant this quiver.

We continued to dance, growing closer and closer together; her body pressed against mine. So many things were said and yet unsaid. Did she have the same feelings for me that I held for her? Had she been hiding them for as long as I had? Was her heart still racing like mine?

Of all the things I learned during that dance, the most important was what I had learned about myself. I couldn't deny it any longer or put another label on it. I loved this queen. I loved this queen more than the air I breathed or the steps I took. I knew that I could continue to dance in the background, even if no one else but her cared. As long as I could make her smile, make her forget her worries, I would do anything. Her eyes, her smile, her laughter, they had all become the sun around which my world turned. Even if she didn't return my feelings, they would never diminish.

The dance seemed to mutually taper to a conclusion. My paws were clasped firmly at Victoria's waist as I held her up above my head. The beautiful white queen looked down at me with those striking sapphire eyes. A feint giggle erupted from her chest as her tail swished animatedly behind her.

I slowly lowered her to the ground, are breaths coming to us in sync. Her tail wrapped around my leg. It seemed like everywhere she touched me, it ignited a fire within me that I never wanted extinguished.

I looked at her for a minute, taking in everything about this moment. I chuckled as she gave me a sly smirk. "So," I purred, my voice barely above a whisper. "Did you feel the music that time?" What a loaded question. But as I said earlier, something about this morning had overtaken me.

Her smirk grew wider as her eyes took on that mysterious glint again with a hint of mischief. She held her paw up and signaled for me to come closer to her.

I leaned forward, expecting her to share another secret. Instead, she stood on the tips of her paws and cupped my cheek in her paw. She quickly closed all of the space between us as her lips pressed against mine. My eyes opened wide in shock, but I quickly responded, kissing her back. That fire I had thought of earlier was nothing compared to the inferno that now blazed throughout my entire body. My arms wrapped around her waist as I pulled her closer.

After what seemed only like a moment, she pulled back, her eyes twinkling and a smile spread across her face. "I think so…" She purred as she wrapped her paws around my neck. "But I think that I could use a few more lessons."

I smiled and pulled her closer. I wasn't going to let her go any time soon. We still had plenty of time to practice.


	9. Blue

**Chapter 9: Blue**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Cats (I'm pretty sure I've forgotten this the past few chapters. I never owned Cats in that time frame either)**

Midnight hit the neighborhood of Brook Hollow, and all the residents slept soundly and peacefully in their beds. The street was filled with a calm sort of quiet as the spring breeze played a lullaby in the leaves of the perfectly manicured trees that lined each side of the street. Not a single branch or blade of grass was out of place as all of the houses looked exactly the same in neat little rows. Each house was set back from the street creating a neat little yard held in by some form of white or wrought iron fences.

Deep in the shadows cast by the trees and houses, two small figures seemed to easily morph from shadow to shadow, passing as quickly and quietly as possible. Two tabby cats hugged the houses' fence line as they scanned the abodes they passed, uttering not a sound. Both cats were almost identical: they had a cream base coat with black and orange tabby patterns creating chaotic tiger stripes. The cat leading was at least a head taller that the one behind him. The leader's broad shoulders and muscular build clearly identified him as a young tom. The feline close behind him was a petite and slim queen. Her tiger stripes were a little less prevalent, on her legs and her chest, creating a small cream bib.

The two continued to trot down the street, closely analyzing each structure. The queen abruptly stopped in front of a house that appeared just the same as every other house on the block. She looked to her side to see the tom still trotting down the street, totally unaware that she had stopped. "'Ey! Jer! This is it!" She whispered, motioning wildly with her paws, calling tom back to her.

The tom's full name was Mungojerrie, but he went by so many nicknames he had lost count. Jer was the name always used by his sister and partner-in-crime, Rumpleteazer. He actually preferred Jerrie, but once you grow up with a cat, there's no way you can change what they decide to call you. With a small sigh of exasperation, Jerrie spun around and stalked back towards the queen. "Foine, foine! But 'ow can ya even tell tha difference Teazer? Oll tha 'ouses look the same ta me! Wot if we just used tha 'ouse down at tha end? That way we got a good escape route jus 'round the corner."

Teazer shook her head enthusiastically, eyeing the house hungrily. "Nope! This un's it! See that tree there, gives perfect access to tha second floor window. That way, if they gots a peke, we should be able to avoid it! Most pekes sleep on tha first floor. An Oi know they gots a young'un, Oi'm not sure, but those there curtains are pink, so Oi'm 'oping they're 'ers." Teazer pointed just past the large oak tree that reached to the window. It was completely dark now, and Jerrie couldn't tell what color the curtains were, but he trusted his sister.

Jerrie gave a brief nod and pulled apart the two cloth bags that he had been carrying. He quickly separated them and handed one to Teazer and kept one for himself. He sized up the house before them and silently slipped through the large space between two wrought iron fence posts. Blending into the shadows with the skill of professional thief, Jerrie crossed the lawn and stopped at the roots of the large tree.

A flash of color caught the corner of Jerrie's eyes as Teazer pulled up beside him. Both cats stared up at the gnarled structure looming above them. It was a lot more intimidating and ominous looking up close. The tree was obviously old. The trunk was so large they were pretty sure that not even a grown human male could wrap his arms around it. Deep grooves cut what almost looked like mazes down the trunk. The countless branches twisted and turned as they reached for the stars, easily getting lost in the chaotic mass. Neither cat could follow a single branch all the way to its end.

Jerrie quickly noted each crooked branch and each knobby bump, calculating all the routes he could take. He wasn't too concerned about reaching the window, climbing was always easy. What did worry him was getting back down. From the labyrinth of branches and leaves, he could tell that the descent would be quite a challenge. They would have to be extra careful tonight. There was no way they'd be able to make it down that tree fast enough if the household woke up. The time that it would take them to escape would give any human time enough to run to the front lawn and catch them.

The two cats glanced at each other and exchanged a mischievous smile. With a casual shrug, Jerrie began to propel himself up the trunk. Each tabby held their bag securely in their mouths as their claws dug deep into the bark of the tree. After a few tense minutes, the twin thieves reached the first branch. They climbed out onto the limb to catch their breath and give their claws a rest. They glance up to see how far they had left to go. Luckily, the tree was so tall, that they had only had two more branches to climb in order to reach the window.

The branches were climbed in record time and with relative ease. Jerrie cautiously walked halfway across a branch, bending his knees to accommodate the movement of the limb from his weight and the breeze. Then, with a confident leap, the tom sailed through the air and landed all four paws securely on the windowsill. He crouched low and waited, ears strained towards the window. Once Jerrie was sure that no one had heard him, he peeked into the window in an attempt to ascertain if they were truly entering the house in the child's room.

Jerrie cracked a smile. The curtains were definitely pink, he was pretty sure that if it were light out, they would've blinded him. However, they were securely drawn shut, and the tabby tom couldn't see into the room. There wasn't even a crack for him to use to his advantage. Luckily, they seemed pretty thin, and he couldn't discern any light shining inside. He determined that they were safe and turned to signal Teazer to come to the sill.

Teazer made a graceful jump onto the sill, not once dropping her clownish grin. She quietly placed her bag on the sill beside her and began work on the window. Her paws appeared as if they were fumbling along the pane and frame, but the skilled feline knew exactly what she was doing. In no time, the window slid up, giving the thieves access to the room. The queen let out her unique laugh, but was immediately shushed by Jerrie. He rolled his eyes as he swiped the queen across the ears. He wasn't going to get caught because she couldn't keep her pride in check. Rich families in such a nice neighborhood always left their windows unlocked anyways, he'd be more impressed once she opened a securely locked window.

Their paws made a soft patter on the floor as the two cats jumped from the window into the room. They were in the kid's room, which was perfect. If the child did wake up in see them, she would immediately call for her parents, giving them time to escape. Plus, the little trinkets that kids kept were more of what they wanted anyways.

The two immediately split apart without saying a word as they slipped into their well-rehearsed routine. Teazer jumped on top of the dresser and immediately began rummaging through the jewelry boxes and other containers. Jerrie remained close to the ground, looking through the toys and other trinkets lost under the bed and other furniture. His main goal was to find batteries and anything that made light; those were as valuable as gold in the feline world.

This house was an excellent find! The child had an infinite number of toys with batteries and small flashlights and other sources of light. Jerrie wasn't sure he had ever filled his bag solely with batteries before. He could hear Teazer trying desperately to muffle her giggles of excitement.

Jerrie could sense that time was running short. The two cats had everything planned to a tee, and it was so practiced that neither of them needed to say a word. They always spent exactly seven minutes in each house and then left no matter what. It didn't matter if there were still areas left to explore; it wasn't worth the risk. Jerrie wasn't sure how they had settled on seven, but it was more than five but less then ten. That was all he knew.

The tom instantly began to pick up the pace; he had maybe a minute or half a minute left. He didn't want to pass up anything valuable. He hung close to the bookshelf, scanning the floor. Just as he reached the end of the structure, he froze. Tucked securely in the corner between the wall and the shelf, a beautiful white cat slept on a pink satin cushion. Luckily, the two hadn't woken the cat up.

Jerrie paused, unable to look away. He could easily tell from the contours of the cat's body that it was a queen. She was thin and small, probably the same size as Teazer. She was sleeping so peacefully, and she seemed to be having a pleasant dream. Jerrie could see a ghost of a smile play at the corner of her lips. He had never felt so entranced by another cat.

Suddenly, Jerrie felt an overwhelming feeling. He couldn't help but sit and wonder, what color were the queen's eyes? He was sure that they were beautiful, but were they green like the growing earth or leaves dancing in the breeze? Perhaps they were a rich brown, like luxurious, creamy chocolate. Or what if they were golden, like the warm summer sun?

"Jer!" A high-pitched voice called from the window.

Jerrie spun around in slight shock from the interruption. He immediately held his paw to his lips, silencing Teazer. The queen rolled onto her back, stretching her paws in the air, but didn't waking up. Jerrie breathed a sigh of relief. Some of it was because the queen wasn't woken, but most of it because he realized that the window was positioned on the same wall as the shelf. That meant that the bookcase hid the queen from Teazer's curious eyes. He'd never hear the end of it if she had seen him staring at some queen.

Without another pause or backward glance, Jerrie slung the bag over his shoulder and jumped to the sill. He took in a deep breath as the fresh air blew into the room. This was his favorite part of any heist; running a clean getaway with all the loot. He eyed the tree again, taking care to calculate each jump he would need. The odd bend in the trees put his mind ill at ease, unsure of the best way down. Once he was satisfied with his course, Jerrie pulled on the loose strings that were attached to the bag and securely tied them around his neck and waist. At least he had made sure to calculate his new weight.

After a final deep breath, Jerried jumped into the air and began to navigate his way to the ground. The tree proved more difficult than he had expected. With his momentum hurtling him towards the ground, Jerrie only had time to react, acrobatically leaping from branch to branch. Eventually the tom landed safely on the ground with a quick roll to keep from breaking his ankles. Not quite as graceful as he wanted it, but at least no one was around to see it. Well, no one but Teazer, and he didn't really care what his sister thought.

Teazer rolled next to him and jumped to her feat. Clearly she had struggled down the tree as well. Once both cats were back on their paws and ready to run, they took off down the street, chuckling and giggling as they went. They would sort through the loot later. For now, they just wanted to revel in the thrill of the crime.

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The early morning sun created long shadows down a nearby street. The twins found themselves in a back alley; Teazer was almost entirely in the dumpster, looking for scraps of food. Only the twitch of her tail could be seen from Jerrie's position on the ground. Not that he was paying too much attention; he was still going through the prime treasures they had received from their loot. He needed to decide what he was going to present to Macavity. The deal that he was supposed to give all of the valuable loot to Mac, but Jerrie and his sister usually only gave the Napoleon of Crime about 70% of it, keeping the rest for themselves. It was a very risky game giving Mac only enough for him to be satisfied, and if they ever got caught, it'd be over. However, the fact that they didn't trust any cat allowed them to continue to play the game in relative secrecy.

Jerrie was contemplating a beautiful silver locket and trying to decide whether he wanted to keep it or paw it over when a breeze wafted down the alley. His ears perked as he greedily sniffed the air. Something smelled familiar, though he couldn't tell exactly what it was.

Cautiously, the tabby tom navigated his way down to the other end of the alley and poked his head out into the street. With a quick sweeping glance, Jerrie gasped and immediately retracted his head. He recognized those garden aromas; they were in an alley off of the same street that they had robbed the night before. Now Jerrie was pretty certain that the young girl didn't even notice her things were gone yet, but every burglar knows that you don't go back to the scene of the crime the very next day!

Jerrie was about to yell at his sister when an entrancing sight arrested his attention and stopped his call in his throat. Cattycorner from the alley was the household with the gnarled tree that they had robbed. Standing beautifully and almost commandingly on the sill of that top, center window was the beautiful alabaster queen. It almost appeared as if a marble queen sat on the window, surveying her kingdom for eternity. The queen's fur swayed dreamily in the morning breeze. This couldn't be real; Jerrie assumed he must still be half-asleep and dreaming of the queen he had seen last night.

All Jerrie needed was some breakfast to wake him up and tide him over. Just as he was about to call the apparition a dream and jump into that dumpster with Teazer, the queen took a graceful arching leap and lunged for the tree. Jerrie immediately recognized the implications of such an action as he recalled how hard it was for him to descend to the earth, and he was a professional! Was this beautiful, young queen trying to harm herself? There was no way she'd be able to make it down unscathed.

Instinct screamed for Jerrie to take off across the street in attempt to help the cat, but his calculating mind immediately stopped him. What could he really do? She'd hit the ground before he made it to event the closest root. And if she managed to slow her descent enough from him to get to the trunk, he couldn't really do much but climb the tree and watch her plummet past him. His only option was to pray that she caught a branch and held on for dear life, giving him time to think of a plan without blowing his cover.

Jerrie watched with his mouth open in shock as the queen began to flip and swing expertly from branch to branch. It seemed as if a perfectly practiced path had been laid out before her, and not a drop of sweat or ounce of exertion was present in her descent. The performance became more like dancing than acrobatics. Every hold, every shift in weight, every arching leap from one branch to the other was gracefully executed as she made the descent look easy. The finale came as four alabaster paws lightly landed on the ground with a slight bend in the knees. There was no rolling and no extra step to maintain balance; it was as if the cat had simply jumped from a low ledge, not a large tree.

After a moment to breath the fresh air, the queen quickly trotted towards the street. She squeezed her head through the fence posts and glanced both directions down the street. The street seemed clear and the rest of her body slipped through the fence and the queen began a quick, happy trot down the street.

Without a second thought as to what exactly he was doing, Jerrie took off after the petite figure before he could lose her around the corner. He didn't even think to call back to Teazer and let her know where he was going. He kept just far enough back that she wouldn't notice his presence, and as insurance, he hung close to the buildings so that he was ready to duck into any ally or crevice if she decided to look around.

Luckily Teazer had noticed his disappearance and saw him take off down the street. She quickly caught up to the tom. "Wot the 'ell are ya doin', Jer?"

Jerrie quickly shushed his sister and hung closer to the walls. The queen didn't seem to hear Teazer, or didn't care. "Shhh! That queen there was in the 'ouse last noight."

Teazer lowered her voice to a whisper, but wasn't convinced. "Oi didn't see 'er….but so wot?"

The tabby tom continued to keep his eyes glued on the swaying white tail as he continued to follow his prey. His mind began to race as he tried to think of an excuse. He couldn't tell her he didn't know why. Then Teazer would just turn around and drag him back to their hideout. He couldn't lose track of this queen now. Something told him that he needed to catch up to her. As Jerrie scrambled for an idea, a sharp edge dug into the pad of his paw. He glanced down to see a silver chain flowing from his clenched fist. He recalled the locket still clasped in his paw. He quickly clung to the idea. "Well she wos! An I figured that see moight lead us to more stuffs!"

Apparently that was the only excuse that Teazer needed as a huge grin appeared on her face and she glanced down to admire the beautiful pearls around her neck. She ran a quick paw over them and gave an enthusiastic nod. She immediately fell back behind Jerrie and hung close to the buildings as well.

The two tabbies followed the white queen in secret for a few blocks. It was almost comical as they ducked behind objects and into alleys at every small noise, but they never lost track of their snow-white queen. Eventually the houses and city streets faded away and became more sporadically spaced out before melting into nothing. The two thieves hung back behind a dilapidated pick up truck seemingly abandoned on the curb of the street.

Looming at the end of the street was a huge chain link fence extending far to the left and the right, enclosing a large space. It was almost more than either cat could fully comprehend. As they peered through the fence, they couldn't miss the large piles of trash constructed throughout the enclosure.

To the surprise of both cats, the delicate queen walked right up to the fence and slipped elegantly in a small hole created by the fence peeling away from one of the main posts. What on earth could such a beautiful queen want in a dumpy junkyard? In mere seconds after squeezing under the fence, the object of their pursuit disappeared among the various junk piles. Jerrie couldn't seem to wrap his head around what he had just witnessed.

Teazer seemed to be having similar thoughts as she continued to stare at the hole in the fence. "Wot's goin on…?" She breathed in disbelief.

Jerrie shook his head and began to trot towards the junkyard. "Oi dunno." He called back over his shoulder. "But Oi'm gonna foind out!" As Jerrie made it to the hole, the noise hit him. The yard was filled with the sound of singing, chatting, and laughter. It sounded as if quite a large number of cats were gathered somewhere in the yard; more than he and Teazer could take on or sneak past on their own territory. By the time Teazer made it to fence next to him, Jerrie had made up his mind. They were going into the junkyard, but they were going to walk in the front gate. That way, they could enter under the ruse of peaceful but curious cats. No one knows their faces, and they could always use fake names if they had to. Jerrie just had to know what was in the yard and who that queen was.

Teazer had learned long ago to never question her brother when that determined glint entered his eyes. She loyally but cautiously followed her brother as the walked along the fence, determined to find the main entrance. It took a while to find it, but they eventually did. There weren't any cats immediately visible, but the gathering was loud enough that the twins determined they could easily follow the sound. However, after only a few steps, the yard became dead silent; not even the scurry of a rat or a gush of wind could be heard. It was an eerie kind of silence that seemed to bear down on the trespassers as they swore the felt eyes watching them.

Jerrie and Teazer continued to walk along a well-worn path, glancing around nervously. They couldn't help but feel that they were being followed and watched; yet they couldn't see anyone. If they hadn't heard the gathering only seconds earlier, they would have sworn they were truly alone in an abandoned junkyard.

Eventually the path broke into a large clearing. Standing in the middle of this large opening among the piles was a muscular, silver tabby. The tom stood in a very commanding position with his arms crossed over his chest and his legs ready to spring should the siblings try anything silly; he clearly wasn't very trusting. However, he was the only cat that the two could see. What had happened to all the cats they had heard earlier?

The silver tom cleared his throat, reclaiming the tabbies attention as they searched the clearing for the seemingly ghost cats. "Who are you?" There was clearly no small talk or niceties with this cat.

Jerrie swallowed hard. He couldn't use his name, he was known far and wide as an agent of Macavity, but he couldn't take too long to answer because then they would get suspicious. After the briefest moment of contemplation, Jerrie answered without a stutter, "Oi'm James, an this 'ere's moy sista-"

"Olivia's moy name" Interrupted Teazer with a smile. They provided simple, everyday names, but that is usually what was expected of ally cats. Don't want to get too fancy, it makes it too easy to track down the name and know that it's fake. There're tons of cats named James and Oliva, so their cover would be kept.

The tabby eyed them suspiciously and seemed to look past the twins. "Alonzo?" Jerrie and Teazer glanced over their shoulders, surprised to see a tall black and white patched tom blocking their exit. They hadn't even heard or sensed him behind them. This was an entirely different type of cat they were dealing with.

The patched tom, Alonzo, simply shook his head and gave an indifferent shrug. "Nothing to report Munk. They just walked in the yard and came straight here. Don't seem suspicious or anything."

The two glanced back to the tom that went by Munk. The silver tabby sized the cats up for a second time, but this time a little less harshly. After a tense moment, a gentle smile broke out on the leader's face as he stepped forward, holding his paw out in greeting. "Hello James and Olivia. It is a pleasure to meet you." Each of the siblings extended their paws hesitantly in return. Munk continued, "I'm Munkustrap and the tom behind you is Alonzo." He then stepped back, holding his arms out, motioning to the rest of the clearing. "And the tribe gladly welcomes you to the Jellicle Junkyard."

Just as Munkustrap said the last portion of his speech, dozens of cats began to appear from the shadows and crevices of the junk piles. How had Jerrie and Teazer missed all those cats? They hid so well in such a short amount of time, it was almost mind blowing.

Young patched toms seemed to wrestle with each other up by a wooden chair as each tried to get a better look at the newcomers. Two matronly queens held a cream tabby and a tortoise shell queenkit close to them. The two kittens craned their heads in curiosity. There were more cats than Jerrie could fully process. Munkustrap continued to talk to the twins as Jerrie continued to scan the cats still coming out of their hiding spots. He suddenly froze and went stiff.

Blue!

A deep, bottomless blue, like the ocean. Or as blue and mysterious as the ice that topped mountains; steadfast and enduring. A shade that one could stare at forever and lose themselves completely, like the sky. The color of everything deep and hypnotizing. The color of everything that he couldn't live without. Why didn't he think of that earlier? Now that he saw them, it was obvious that those eyes couldn't do anything but a sapphire blue.

The beautiful white queen that had unknowingly brought him to this yard was sitting elegantly on the hood of a black car hood next to another small black and scarlet queen who had large, gazing eyes. The snowy queen sat just like a statue, watching the twins with a suspicious gaze. When Jerrie met her eyes, they quickly became filled with a questioning look. The orange tabby quickly pulled his paw behind his back, hiding the chain the he remembered he was holding. The queen tore her eyes from Jerrie and refocused them on Munkustrap. Jerrie soon followed.

The silver tom had just finished extending his wordy welcome to the two cats, offering them a den and place to stay if they so chose. Jerrie knew he had heard the word Jellicle before and he mentally tried to place it.

During his mental search, Teazer quickly stepped forward and gave a polite nod and generous smile. "Thank ya so much, Mistah Munkustrap. Moy brutha and Oi really do appreciate it, but-"

"But we wouldn't wont to burden ya unless ya're sure it wouldn't be a botha." Jerrie quickly interrupted as he stepped forward and grabbed Teazer's arm. If looks could kill, the daggers Teazer was shooting at him would have dropped Jerrie right there. The tom's mind had gone into a panic when he realized that she was going to turn down the offer. They couldn't leave, not yet; he had to know who that queen was.

The rest of the tribe quickly descended upon the siblings, surrounded them with welcoming smiles and words. Teazer and Jerrie tried to accept the greetings with as much graciousness as they could muster. During the commotion, Jerrie noticed no white queen had come to greet them. He immediately stood on the tips of his paws in an attempt to peer over the heads of the cats surrounding him. He caught a glimpse of the car boot. The petite queen was still sitting there with a small smile, but her fair white companion was gone.

The two cats tried their best to remember everyone's names as they were quickly ushered to an available den deep in a junk pile, supported by an industrial freezer. The den was pretty bare and plain, but they were free to decorate it as they saw fit. There were a few threadbare blankets and pillows folded neatly in the corner. However, the rest of the tribe told them that they were welcome to anything they found in the piles in the junkyard, and if they found something they liked, they could keep it. Jerrie had to admit, it was kind of nice to have a place to call a home.

As soon as the tom shared that sentiment with his sister, she turned on him with pure fury written on her face. She placed her paws securely on her waist and shook her head. "Jer! We can't! We shouldn't be 'ere at oll! These are the _Jellicles_! Wot's wrong with ya?"

Jerrie shrugged as he plopped down on the blankets in the corner, reclining against the pillows. "I dunno. It's koinda noice ta 'ave a place away from smelly ol' Mac." Teazer immediately shushed Jerrie with fervent glances around the den. One never knew when one of Mac's agents was around and listening.

The argument quickly escalated. Luckily the twins were well versed in fighting while keeping their voices down. But just because they could keep their volume at a practical level didn't mean the words weren't venomous. Teazer reminded Jerrie that Mac didn't like the Jellicles. Then, in addition to that, they hadn't successfully completed a heist in a week. If they didn't turn in this past trip's loot, they would be overdue, something that Mac did not take kindly to. And to top it off, she didn't like the feeling of this tribe, it was almost fake: too good to be true.

Jerrie exploded at Teazer's remarks. She was free to leave if she really wanted. But she had no right to speak to him about Macavity. _He_ was the one who was an agent to the Napoleon of Crime. It was _his _name that was tied to the Monster of Depratvity. And Macavity only knew about _him_. Teazer was simply his sister and assistant, flying under the radar. She had nothing to lose; she was risking nothing in this endeavor. And she was lying. He saw the way her face lit up when she was welcomed by other cats she could consider friends. After his final infuriating statement, Jerrie stormed out of the den.

The angered tom needed fresh air and to stretch his muscles. He decided that it was a good time to meet some of the cats on a more individual level. He did interact with a few of the Jellicles, but the meetings were awkward and shallow. It seemed like everyone was still trying to make out these strange new cats with odd accents. Jerrie decided that he needed a cover story for his life, and settled on the fact that his sister and he were just everyday ally cats.

Eventually the dens and the lounging cats began to thin out as Jerrie moved on to lesser-visited areas. He had heard stories of mystic twins that lived farther away from the main clearing that peaked his interest. He'd have to be careful around them because they could sense emotions and thoughts, but he couldn't quell his curiosity.

As the tabby tom scoured the piles for the hidden den, he stumbled upon a secondary clearing. It was much smaller than the main one, and the loose dirt indicated that it was rarely visited. Jerrie was about to shrug the space off and continue with his search when a flash of color caught his eyes. The entrancing queen that had led him to this welcoming place was elegantly stretching in the middle of the clearing. Her limbs painting beautiful lines against the junk behind her, as her fur seemed to glow in the setting sunlight.

As she bent forward to touch her toes, crystal blue eyes glanced up and caught Jerrie in their gaze. The tom immediately blushed, as if he had been caught a peeping tom. He hadn't really done anything wrong, but somehow a sense of shame gripped him. "'Ello." He mumbled, glancing at his wringing paws and then back to the hypnotizing feline.

"Hello." She purred as she stood and began stretch her arms across her body. Those sapphire orbs never left Jerrie as he continued to glance all over the clearing with occasional glimpses of the queen.

An awkward silence filled the clearing as the queen continued to stretch and Jerrie couldn't help but fiddle. In an attempt to alleviate the pressure he felt building, Jerrie blurted out, "Noice 'yard ya oll gots 'ere."

A smirk spread under those beautiful eyes as a small chuckled emitted from her throat. "I think so too." She stated, a soft, seductive purr filling her voice.

Another silence fell as she continued stretch. Jerrie was in agony. Normally if this was any other cat, he would have simply walked away. However, he didn't think anything would be able to tear him away from this mysterious queen. He made another attempt at conversation, "So, um… Moy name's James."

The queen smirked again as she did a quick practice kick. Jerrie was amazed as her knee came up to her shoulder. He didn't even know it was possible to kick that high. "I heard." She purred, laughing again.

Jerrie blushed. Of course she had heard, she was there when he introduced himself to the whole tribe. He felt so stupid, but he really didn't know where else to go. "Hehe, of course. It's a pleasure to meet ya Miss…?"

The beautiful queen straightened and her blue eyes became even more intense, if that was possible. After what seemed to be a moment of consideration, she slowly began to walk towards Jerrie, her hips and tail swayed almost seductively. She stopped only inches away from the tabby. The queen leisurely leaned forward. Jerrie found himself falling into her hypnotizing eyes as he took in her scent. She was so close that he could see each piece of fur on her face as well as the feint blush of her pink skin underneath. Jerrie felt the urge to pull her close and kiss the queen, but he quickly fought the feeling away. Instead, he became stiff and his breath became staggered.

The queen's smirk grew wider as her eyes sparkled mischievously. "Victoria. I'm Miss Victoria. The cat from the family that you stole from last night." Her voice still purred as she laughed again. She kept her face close to Jerrie's for a moment before simply brushing him aside and strolling away. Over her shoulder she called back, "But you can shorten my name however you'd like…Jer."

With that last statement, she was gone, leaving Jerrie frozen in shock. He wasn't sure whether it was from Victoria's overwhelming beauty or from the realization that she had been awake during the whole heist the night before. However, for some reason, he wasn't worried that she would rat him out. Her actions made that clear. Too bad he didn't know her character too well, or he would have sworn she was interested in him.

After Jerrie pulled himself out of his self-induced paralysis, and quickly trotted after her. For some reason, he hoped that he could catch up to Victoria, but he knew that it was a futile effort. He had stood like a stupid statue for too long. Victoria was long gone and he had no clue as to her direction. So instead, he resumed meeting the rest of the tribe. He learned of the Jellicle Ball and Victoria's role as a key dancer. He could only imagine how beautiful her dancing was.

The weeks passed and Jerrie managed to mend his relationship with Teazer who decided to stay. She was glad to have a home and a family surrounding her. However, she still jumped at any noise in the junkyard and worried everyday. Throughout these weeks he also made a point to visit with Victoria everyday. During each meeting, the young queen seemed aloof, and yet interested in what Jerrie had to say. She never again called him Jer, and always called to him as James. Additionally, he could always find her in that same clearing at the same time each day. He was pretty sure that wasn't her usual habit, especially when he still found her there, under a chair protruding from a pile, while a storm raged through the yard.

The meetings ranged in subject from the weather for the day to more in depth conversations about her past and her hopes and dreams. Jerrie tried his hardest to keep the focus away from himself, but he couldn't avoid it. With much discretion, he would talk about the travels and the treasures he had 'stumbled' upon. But Macavity and the idea of stealing never came up.

The two also taught each other various skills. Victoria taught Jerrie some graceful moves that only a ballerina or a Jellicle could master. In return, Jerrie tutored Victoria on a range of acrobatic flips and other maneuvers. The two grew closer and closer each day.

One day, he decided that he needed to find Victoria so that he could atone for his actions and give her back what was rightfully her owner's. He didn't have the courage to take the well-loved pearls from Teazer, but he quickly grabbed the silver locket he had brought with him on the first day. As usual, Victoria was waiting patiently in her clearing. She didn't even pretend to stretch anymore; she simply waited in the shade of that trusty chair.

Jerrie settled down on the ground next to her and gave his crooked smile. "Well 'ello there Vickster!" He purred.

Victoria rolled those beautiful sapphire eyes, but still laughed. "Hey James. What you got there?" She glanced at his clenched paw. How was she so observant?

Jerrie willingly held it out and uncurled his paw. The beautiful silver locked caught the light and glittered, sending light spots all over her alabaster fur. "Ya see, it's yours. Well, it's actually your little girl's. It's from that noight… a whoile ago. Oi never really apologized loike ya deserved. Oi'm sorry. Now ya can take it back ta 'er." Jerrie stared down in shame, holding his paw out and waiting for the verbal reprimand as she took the trinket from his paw.

However, nothing happened for a few seconds as Jerrie squirmed in the uncomfortable silence. Eventually the tom felt a gentle touch lower his arm as that beautiful laughter filled his ears. "Don't worry about it James, if you like it, you can keep it. That girl has everything she wants anyways. She will probably never notice it missing."

"But-"

"And I appreciate your apology, but it doesn't matter. You guys didn't harm anyone. As I said, she won't ever know you were there. If she does, her parents will just buy her replacements. You guys will probably put that stuff to better use anyway." That alluring purr crept back into her voice.

That purr could probably make him do anything, but he couldn't let it sway him this time. "No." He stated, closing his eyes as he fought the hypnotizing affect of her voice. "I want ta give it back ta ya. Please take it." Jerrie raised his arm again, pushing it closer to Victoria.

The downy queen gingerly took the beautiful chain and locket from his paw. "Since you insist." She smirked as she balled it up in her paw. She quickly changed the topic, requesting another story from Jerrie.

That was one thing that Jerrie learned about Victoria more than anything else. She was fascinated by the outside world. All she knew of was her house, the yard, and the simple path in between the two. She wanted to explore, to see other worlds, other cultures. She wanted to learn as much as she could about the world. She always begged for Jerrie to tell her stories of other cats and tribes. However, during his stories, he tried to convince her that it was as dreamy as she thought, that it wasn't a glamorous or fascinating life. A cat on the street could barely survive. She seemed to brush the thoughts aside and always asked for more.

As Jerrie began to wrap up his story about his heist in The Lake District when a loud explosion rang across the clearing. Victoria took hold of Jerrie's arm and pulled him close to her. "Macavity." She whispered in terror.

A different kind of terror rushed through Jerrie as he realized that he and Teazer could be in some serious trouble. He quickly convinced Victoria to hide in an old dresser and made her promise not to leave until he came to find her. The young queen willingly promised as Jerrie gently closed the doors.

He rushed to the clearing just in time to see Macavity deliver a crippling blow to Alonzo's stomach. The tom would be okay, but he wasn't going to be able to fight anytime soon. Macavity turned towards the clearing, ready to take on his next challenger as he laughed devilishly.

As Macavity scanned the crowd, his gaze fell on Jerrie. The fiery tom's face transformed from pure enjoyment to fury and betrayal. Piercing gold eyes seemed to enter Jerrie's mind as he felt as if his skull had split and a flood of emotions and maliciousness drove into his brain. Jerrie screamed in pain as he fell to his knees and cradled his head in his paws. Through blurred vision, he saw Teazer hiding in their den as Macavity turned and fled from the yard, a new purpose set in his mind.

Teazer was at Jerrie's side in no time as she desperately tried coaxing him to his feet, demanding to know what was wrong. Through a ringing head and bleary eyes, Jerrie placed his paw on the queen's shoulders and gave a knowing nod. "Go pack." He whispered.

That was all Teazer needed and she fled into their den. Luckily, the other cats were busy attending to other wounded members as well as discussing how the cat had slipped into the yard. Jerrie was able to wave Jelly aside, insisting that he was okay, and slipped out of the clearing and towards where he had left Victoria.

By the time he reached the dresser, the ringing in his ears had stopped and his mind had cleared enough for him to think in full sentences. He carefully pulled open the doors as an eager Victoria burst out and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm so glad you're okay! Was it Macavity? Did you fight him? Are you sure you're okay?"

Jerrie managed to calm the panicked queen, though he wasn't sure how he was going to tell her what he needed to; not only did she probably not want to hear it, but he didn't want to speak his thoughts into reality. Jerrie took Victoria's snowy paws in his own, and stared earnestly into those ocean eyes. "Victoria, there's a lot Oi haven't told ya." He quickly held up a paw to silence her attempted interjection. He needed to get it all out. "Moy real name is Mungojerrie, and as Oi'm sure ya know from tha name, Oi am one o' Macavity's agents." He tried his best to ignore her look of shock. "Well, Oi use ta be. Anyways, that scuffle wos Mac. An 'e saw me. 'E was pissed. Moy sista, Teazer, and Oi need ta leave. Otherwoise the 'yard'll never be safe."

Victoria shook her head as if she couldn't fully understand. "No, no! You'll both be safe here. You said 'used to be'. You aren't anymore. Everyone is your friend! We'll take care of you both. You have to stay!" Her paws squeezed Jerrie's tight.

Jerrie gently squeezed back as he maneuvered his paws so that they encompassed hers. "No, Vicks, we've gots ta leave. When Mac saw me, 'e tried ta mentally attack me. Whoile 'e did that, 'e also sent a message. 'E doesn't take loightly ta betrayal. 'E's after moy life, and 'e'll stop at nothin to get me. It'll only double 'is attacks on the 'yard and put everyone…and you in danger! We've gots ta leave!"

Victoria continued to shake her head, unable to look at him with her piercing gaze like she usually did. "I-I'll go with you. You can't leave!"

Jerrie let out an exasperated chuckle that didn't really hold any merriment. "Ya can't Vicks, it's too dangerous. If Mac's afta me, you'll be in danger too. Oi jus' can't let ya come. You're the one I wont ta protect tha most."

Victoria started to blink profusely, assumingly to fight back the tears. "You just can't leave me! I-I think I love you."

Jerrie was floored. What a different Victoria was sitting before him compared to the one he met weeks ago in this exact clearing. Such a sweet, loving kitten had replaced the confident, alluring Victoria. This was exactly the thing that Jerrie had prayed wasn't true. Long ago, he had accepted his feelings for the beautiful queen. As much as he hadn't believed in it before, he loved Victoria. He could deal with his one-sided feelings, assuming she only saw him as a good friend. But now that she had confessed, how was he supposed to leave knowing that he was breaking both of their hearts?

Victoria quickly yanked her paws free from Jerrie's and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close and nuzzling his cheek. "Please…" Was all she could manage to mumble.

Eventually even her pleas faded into silence as the two cats held each other close. Jerrie wasn't sure that he could voice his feelings, knowing that he was leaving, so he hoped that his arms around her waist would convey those loving whispers and humbled apologies locked in his heart.

Night found the two huddled together under the chair that had served as their sentinel for the past weeks. Jerrie had one arm wrapped around Victoria's shoulders with his other paw resting delicately on her leg. Victoria had her arms wrapped firmly around his waist, loathe to let go. The two felines waited silently for Teazer to appear with Jerrie's luggage and the signal to leave.

Conversation slipped into an air of nonchalance as they spoke of the upcoming departure as casually as they could. It appeared to be the only way that they could deal with the future. Victoria pulled one paw from around Jerrie's waist and began to absentmindedly trace the stripes on his chest. "What do you expect me to do, stay here and wait for you? What if you never come back?"

Jerrie cracked a smile, knowing Victoria wasn't serious. "Well, ya know that Oi'll be back as soon as Oi can: either when Mac is defeated or forgets about me. And Oi guess Oi don't really expect it…but Oi was 'oping ya would."

Victoria was silent as she nestled her head deeper into his shoulder.

Jerrie pulled his head back so he could look down at the beautiful queen curled against him. "And when Oi come back, Oi'll take ya travelin, oll ova tha world!"

Victoria's ears flicked as she smiled at the promise. "What if it's years later and I already have a mate?" She glanced up with those crystal blue eyes. They were hard and cold like ice. Jerrie could tell that even though she accepted her emotions and knew it was what needed to be done, she was still upset that he was leaving without her. Then again, could he really hold that against her? If the roles were switched, he would struggle to forgive her, even if he understood.

"As Oi said, Oi really 'ope ya won't…that would just break moy 'eart. I could never love another queen besides you." He purred, kissing the top of hear head.

The luxurious purr erupted from deep in her chest as Victoria shook her had, burying her face in his shoulder. Through his fur she mumbled. "I could never look at another tom. I'll always wait for your return, even if it's in Heaviside."

Jerrie contemplated if it was silly that they could have such a deep connection in such a short amount of time. His answer was no. It wasn't silly at all, it was true love. During his contemplation, he felt his paw lifted as Victoria gently placed something in the pad before closing his paw around it. She gave his paw a gentle kiss and released it. Jerrie pulled his paw up to his face and opened it. Delicately resting on his pad was the beautiful locket he had stolen and then returned. He looked back at Victoria with a cocked eyebrow.

Victoria allowed a ghost of that alluring smirk to grace her features. "Well, since the day you gave it back, I stole it from my owner as mine. (You're a bad influence by the way.)" She gave a quick chuckle before continuing, "So take it with you, but make sure you return it. It'll also remind you of me and keep you away from any exotic queens you may meet."

Jerrie smiled at first at the sentiment, but the grin eventually faded. It really hit him that he finally found love and he had to leave it behind. Yes, it was for her safety, but even the best reasons couldn't soften the pain he felt. He quickly slipped the locket over his head and around his neck, the silver heart resting right next to his actual one. "Oi'll always wear it 'til tha day Oi get back." He purred as he pulled the queen closer, catching her in an impassioned kiss. They remained locked together until the heard Teazer trotting up to the clearing.

The two broke apart as she entered; it was now or never. If either remained in the other's embrace any longer, they'd never let go. Jerrie grabbed his bag from Teazer and held his paw over the locket and the heart. He quickly darted forward, giving Victoria one last kiss before scaling the fence, his sister not far behind. The two landed safely on the other side of the fence and began to flee into the night. As the distance they covered began to grow, Jerrie threw one last glance over his shoulder.

He watched as a beautiful white queen clung to the fence and crystal blue tears fell from sapphire eyes.

**A/N: Sorry. This is another one that got carried away. I like it, but I think it could've been better. As I finished it, I realized this might have been more of a plot line that was meant for a multi-chapter story. Oh well, I don't think it turned out too bad. I also wanted to write a story more of rambunctious Jerrie versus little prissy Victoria, but that kinda got spun out of the story. Maybe I'll make another story or one-shot sometime. I may also take this and elaborate it into a full chapter story; going beyond this end…I dunno. Anyways, I'll stop rambling. Please, please, oh please let me know what you thought! Review! :D It really helps with the writing process. Hope you enjoyed! Thanks for reading.**


	10. Right?

**Chapter 10: Right?**

**A/N: So here is the long awaited Macavity chapter! Dun dun duh! I mean I really enjoyed writing this and I hope you enjoy reading it. I've been trying to write different Victoria's so that the pairings make sense and so it's a unique read each time. Again, hope you enjoy! And please let me know what you think and review! :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own CATS…but if I did…I'd still probably write fanfiction! Lol**

I tried to bury myself deep into the ground. Maybe if I tried hard enough, I would just melt right into the earth and away from this infernal gathering. A shiver ran up my spine as I felt a fury face nuzzle deeper into my neck.

It was an odd kind of feeling, a shiver I had never experienced before. I mean, I had been cold, so I knew what that felt like, and with his body so close to mine, there was no way that I had just felt that sensation. Then, throughout my life and all my other 'adventures' I had felt terror and fear. This feeling was nothing like that. No, this shiver radiated through my entire body. It left a chilling, tingling feeling originating from where his body touched mine and an almost burning sensation in the pit of my stomach as a weird flittering seemed to consume my insides. I just couldn't place the feeling and I quickly decided it was disgust, pure and unadulterated disgust. A deeper level of the same emotion I had felt since I entered this place. I had never felt it before, but it was the only thing I could think of.

I shook my head as I tried to ignore his nuzzling and flatten myself even more into the ground. The rest of the tribe began to scoot closer and assemble into an ungraceful, smelly pile. There were so many smells that it was overwhelming. I hated this uncivilized ritual and mass gathering…

As the group settled down for a brief reprieve from the chaotic, simultaneous jumping that they called a ball, I felt the tom's breath play with the fur on my ear. "Victoria," he purred. "I-I think I love you."

Luckily I was a well accustomed to complete control over my features and suppressed the flick of my ear that would have indicated I was still awake. I held my eyes shut tight and controlled my breathing to a deliberate pace. I had no doubt that he would think I was fast asleep. My assumption was confirmed as a peaceful purr vibrated through his chest.

The tribe fell into a catnap as everyone gratefully rested their tired limbs. This only allowed my mind to contemplate what exactly I had gotten myself into. I had managed to infiltrate and become a member of the Jellicle Tribe, and was now blissfully taking a break from the annual Jellicle Ball. The strong and handsome tom known as Plato lay happily beside me as his paws remained wrapped around my waist. Even though he was considered the most eligible bachelor in the yard, he was still the one causing this unpleasant emotion.

I tried my best to ignore the overpowering scents and the unfamiliar paws closing in. At least Plato was a fairly polite tom, for the most part he kept his paws where they belonged. He was shy, and only touched me as choreography demanded. I remembered hissing as his paws trailed down my chest, but it was what we were each told to do, it was the tradition of the mating dance. I could also recollect him arguing against the instruction as much as I had, but to no avail. Plato was such an old-fashioned and naïve tom, he probably would use the term 'wooing' when it came to a queen he liked. I quickly tried to suppress the smirk that accompanied that thought.

At least the tom that I had to lay next to didn't take any liberties with me. I shuddered again as I remembered my solo at the beginning of the Jellicle Ball. Some uppity little tom that had taken it upon himself to interrupt the only number of any graceful proportions that would appear during this tribal ritual and even had the audacity to touch me! As his paw trailed down my leg, it awakened similar feelings to what Plato had inspired, though not nearly as intense. Luckily I had been able to rely on my award winning acting skills to summon a smile and act as if I had enjoyed the unwelcome interruption. But I just couldn't imagine; the tom _dared_ to touch me!

If only _he_ had been here to see that. That silly little kitten called Mistoffelees would be ashamed to even look at me after _my_ tom was through with him!

I suppressed another sigh as I tried to welcome a little rest. I had to admit, as primitive as this dancing was, it was excellent exercise. However, I couldn't help but long for the comfort of the warehouse. What cat in their right mind wanted to live in such a smelly place like a junkyard? The warehouse was always spotless, just the way _he_ liked it. Additionally, everyone knew their place and their ranks. There was no surprise as to who was whose superior.

But most importantly, _he_ was there. How I longed to be with him. I just couldn't keep my mind off of his deep, yellow eyes and his fiery fur. His passion (for everything) was overwhelming, and even when it was directed at destroying the Jellicles, I just wanted to wrap myself in it. That was love, right?

Suddenly, those creepy twins followed by that brazen Mistoffelees shot up and sensed the air. A few other cats followed. I could feel the atmosphere tense as the rest of the tribe tried to locate what had disturbed their precious rest, worried that it was the only tom that could threaten their peace, Macavity. As everyone began to spread out and search the clearing, I took my opportunity to back away from Plato's side and that fluttering feeling coursing through my veins.

Mistoffelees was the first to spot the intruder. One could almost feel the sigh of relief as Grizabella was spotted leaning against an old radio. Apparently she was a traitor to the tribe, like she left or something. Whatever the reason, I held mixed emotions warring inside me when I saw her. My professional side knew the importance of loyalty, and rationally understood that no punishment was too harsh for deserters. However, something in the recesses of my heart that I didn't even know existed longed to reach out to her. I knew that I was really no different from her, perhaps I was even worse! I had both literally and mentally destroyed more than just one tribe.

Would I be shunned and alone when I was older?

I quickly shook my head. No, I had a tom that I loved and would be loyal to even through death. That was all that mattered. In the mere seconds it took me to rush through those thoughts, I sneakily began to rise to my paws as the rest of the tribe hissed at the elderly queen. I had every intention of fleeing the clearing; I had a job to do. Plus, it's not like anyone would miss me. From this point on in the dance number, I was no longer in the center, but to everyone's right, at the edge. They probably wouldn't even notice I was gone.

Just as I readied myself to turn and flee, I felt a paw grab my wrist and spin me around, half dragging me to my position. I looked into the idiotic expression of that silly gray tom that was a practical nobody in the junkyard. I believe his name was Admetus, and his smile was that of a kitten that didn't realize how dangerous a rabid peke was. I knew he had been eyeing me all night, but I assumed he would never have the courage to approach me or anything, so I brushed his existence to the margins of my mind. His courage surprised me, causing me to numbly follow him. He spun me to my position at the corner of the tribe, and I quickly realized that I had lost my opportunity.

I instinctively followed the choreography as the tribe seemed to split into three groups, each with their own dance moves. I couldn't help but find this dancing so idiotic! There was no skill or grace in this number. No one would take pleasure in watching dances that even a newborn kitten could perform…

After a few moments of synchronized dancing, we turned and ran across the clearing like barbarians before the "queenkits" broke off for their own dance performance. Of course it didn't matter to the Jellicles that I was two, almost three, years out of kittenhood. As long as I was young looking and beautiful, I was grouped with the young, naive kittens that screamed and cried when that ridiculous Tugger was around.

Finally after some more group dancing, Tugger, Plato, and some other toms burst forth into the clearing. The rest of the cats scattered and I found my second escape window. This time I wasn't going to let anyone stop me and I fled from the clearing. I could hear the music pick up and I was sure that the toms were showing off as only they could.

I swiftly began to pick my way through the many piles and wiped a slight sheen of perspiration from my brow. I thought that I knew the way I needed to go, but as I passed the same pile for the second time, I began to grow nervous. I couldn't let everything I had worked for, no everything _we_ had worked for, to crumble because I couldn't find my way around piles of trash!

Finally I stopped and took a moment to gather my thoughts and calm my nerves. I was trained better than this. Since when did I forget the layout of any location that I infiltrated? Never, and I wasn't going to start now. The stupidity of this silly tribe must have been wearing off on me; I could still feel a few flutterings in my stomach and almost feel Plato's paws at my waist. After my brief pause, I quickly remembered the path as if it was highlighted. I quickly began to walk away from the music and towards my target.

Even though I have had years of training my thoughts for the present and future, something about this place brought to mind my own mother. Maybe it was seeing all those loving families and kind mothers who adored their kittens, both biological and adopted. Whatever the reason was, the past was a slippery slope, and even one recollection of mine sent me tumbling down into my memories before I even had time to rein my mind back to the task at hand. Each memory sent my thoughts spiraling further and further into my past.

My mother almost looked just like me, but with a few differences. Her fur was slightly longer and she had black socks on all four of her paws. I wrinkled my nose at the thought. She was always 'stained'; those spots made her less than perfect. I admired my fur in its pristine perfection. Even from birth I had already surpassed my mother, at least that's what _he_ always told me.

I remembered the day that my mother brought me to the warehouse that would become my home and to the tom that would become my life. At the time, I was too young to even know why she was there or what was going on, but I did notice that she was never around. Just because I was a kitten didn't mean I was unable to comprehend the indifference in her voice or the coldness in her attitude whenever she was near me. As I grew older, it was clear that my mother only cared about pleasing the mysterious Macavity and quickly pushed me to the margins of her life. If she wasn't away on some mission or other, then she was gone trying to flirt her way into his good graces.

However, little did she know that the fiery tom had noticed me! Whenever mother was away, he could come visit me in the small little room of the warehouse that mother and I called home. Of course he was slightly older, but even then he was only a teenager at the time. It was amazing to see how successful a cat could be at such a young age and how many followers he could accrue. Even though I was a kitten, I knew that we were only a few years apart, and I couldn't help but imagine us always together. In my kitten mind, I even imagined the scandalous, like holding paws…in public!

It didn't take long for his visits to become daily. He would bring me treats, and we would talk for hours. Of course I didn't have much to talk about at such a young age, so I mostly listened. His passion for his plans was infectious. I couldn't help but smile and nod enthusiastically, waiting on pins and needles to see if everything turned out satisfactorily.

He always seemed so warm and endearing. He would tell me how beautiful I was, and how that would always be helpful, not just for me, but for his empire, if I wanted. He would tell me the stories of Griddlebone and other notorious agents, but adding that if I put my mind to it, I could surpass them all and become a legend.

One day, my mother never returned. I never asked what happened and it never mattered. It's not like I really lost anything, she was a fleeting memory that had abandoned me without ever actually leaving. In reality, mt life didn't change at all. And I knew, as long as I had Macavity by my side, I could survive anything.

That day he came to me to offer an opportunity to repay his kindness, and presented me with a position in the ranks of his empire. I wasn't sure why he chose that time, but I could only guess that it was because all ties that my have held be back were broken. Without a second thought, I jumped at the idea and began to train with a vigor and commitment that even surprised me. His words became less gentle as my training began, but those changes were easily explained. He needed strong agents, and he couldn't show favorites, though I knew where I really I stood. I would work hard to maintain his favor and repay him for everything he had done for me. It didn't take long for me to realize that I loved him, and I was going to make him realize his feelings for me. I was going train to be the agent and queen that deserved to be by his side, which I would make a reality.

I flew through training and quickly ascended the ranks. I would do anything for Macavity as I strove to earn his love. He sent me on many missions, and I quickly became a vixen that surpassed any agents that ever served him, including Griddlebone. I became a feared beauty that was whispered throughout the allies and streets. However, I was so effective in performing my duties that little was known about me; even my appearance was a mystery. All that was known and whispered in fear was my codename: Diamond. I was the most beautiful gem that was unbreakable, and unlike Griddlebone and the other queen agents that served Macavity, I never waivered in my loyalties.

A shiver ran up my spin and I quickened my step as a new memory entered my mind. This was my final mission before I reached my goal! I could still hear the purr in his voice and feel the warmth in his paw as he held it against my cheek. He promised that if I helped him with this final operation, I would finally prove my love and deserve his full trust. His beautiful smile filled my mind's eye as he gave me my orders and kissed my forehead like he used to do when I was a kitten.

My heart soared when I realized that it was one of the simplest missions I had ever been sent on since my initiatory operation. All I had to do was infiltrate this stupid junkyard and convince the Jellicles to let me become part of their tribe. They were just silly cats that meant nothing to me, right? So why did part of me call out to them? Why did their faces continue to haunt my mind as drew closer to the fence bordering the yard? Why did their uninhibited welcome and care create unease in my heart?

I shook my head and increased my pace to a jog. No, this tribe was stupid. It was never good to be so trusting; it only led to being hurt. Additionally, from what I heard from Macavity, the cats deserved everything they got after the way they treated him. They pretended to be accepting and trusting, but as soon as they realized you were even a little different with your own goals, they shunned you and mistreated you. No, I would not be suckered into their shallow, false acceptance. That stupid moon of theirs must be affecting my thoughts.

Finally, I arrived at my destination, and I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face as I saw a fiery pelt practically shimmer in the moonlight. Those sunken, golden eyes staring determinedly at the fence captured my attention instantly. I broke into a sprint as I ran up to the fence and caught hold of the links with my paws. "Mac…" I purred, thrilled to see him, as usual.

His eyes glanced behind me before making a brief connection with mine. "You're late." He grumbled as he crossed his arms in front of his chest.

I let my gaze fall and my paws drop to my sides. I mean I should have known that he would want to keep things professional, we were on the job and I hadn't earned his love and respect yet. I needed to think things through. "I'm-I'm sorry sir. I was momentarily held up. But I have everything we need." I ran over to a nearby junk pile and dug in it until I found a plain looking jewelry box. Swiftly I opened the lid and pulled out an old, rusty key. It was the key that I had swiped from Munkustrap's den earlier today when I was talking to him about what I needed to prepare for my first Jellicle Ball. I knew that with the ball fast approaching, no one would notice it was gone until it was too late. Additionally, even if they did, no one would suspect the innocent Victoria as the perpetrator. I then hid it here for this exact moment.

Without wasting any more of Macavity's time, I ran to the small gate that separated the tom and his henchcats from the yard and inserted it into a seldom used lock. After some fiddling and wiggling, the padlock reluctantly popped open, allowing the small gate to slowly swing in.

Macavity quickly slipped through the entrance, closely followed by his minions. The smile on his face was priceless, something that I would always strive to find. However, I quickly realized that it wasn't aimed at me, but at his future plans for the moronic tribe in the yard. My body went numb; this isn't how it was supposed to happen.

I felt a paw give me a swift pat on my cheek; it was a cold, emotionless pat. "Thanks Diamond. You are a gem! Let's hope your future missions are as successful."

My paws began to fidget with my tail; the cool, collected Victoria was gone as I stared at those gold streaks buried in that blazing fur. "My-my name's Vic-Victoria, sir." I mumbled, unable to comprehend the complete lack of emotion radiating from Macavity as he began to give orders to his henchcats.

He stopped midsentence and rolled his eyes, an annoyed look plastered across his face. I swallowed hard as I realized I had interrupted him. So much for thinking things through.

After a moment of considering the severity of my actions, Macavity gave an indifferent wave of his paw. "You are an agent Diamond, so you will be addressed in your proper code name. Please. Just because you have completed your mission does not mean the operation is complete. Don't you have somewhere to be or something?" With that he turned back to me and began explaining the next course of action to the henchcats in front of him.

I tried my best to swallow my tears as I stared at his cold, stoic back. I couldn't feel any love or hint that he finally believed my feelings. He said so himself that my mission was complete, I had done everything that I was told to do. So why was there no rejoicing? Why didn't he look happy to have my love and devotion?

My paw reached up to my cheek and rested it on the spot that he had patted. His paw hadn't held the same tenderness and loving kindness that been present in Plato's or even Mistoffelee's touch…

I quickly shook my head. I was clearly just filled with nerves and Macavity was preoccupied with exacting the justice that he deserved. As soon as the mission was complete and sun rose on a new day, I would be held securely in Macavity's arms. I would feel the tenderness that I hadn't seen since kittenhood and all my dreams would become reality. That was the truth.

With new conviction, I gave a sharp salute to Macavity before turning and fleeing back towards the clearing. Everything would be ruined if the cats suddenly got suspicious and came looking for me. As I neared the clearing, I could hear the music bounce off of the junk piles. Luckily I hadn't missed the end of the dancing portion of the ball. I could run out at the very end, and it would be like I never left.

As my pace quickened so that I could make my entrance, I couldn't stop the images of Plato and Macavity flashing through my mind. Without any input from my brain, my heart continued to compare the two's touches. The thoughts were banished from my mind as I ran out and flawlessly slipped into the dance. Even though I had critiqued the music earlier, I allowed it to overcome me and fill my being.

Only one thought remained. I was doing the right thing because this was for love…right?

**A/N: A lot shorter than my other ones, but I think that it's sufficient. Anyways, even though I really like how this turned out, it blows my mind how much it has evolved. My main goal was to try and create and entirely new take on Victoria. However, beyond that, this story is totally different from my original plan. Originally I wanted them to be kinda evil together. Then it turned into Vic being super bad and Mac was ambivalent. Finally Mac turned super bad and Vic is on the fence. It's funny how much stories change. **

**Anyways, I know that there are almost like two sides to Macavity, and I wanted to write both of them. So I have thought up another one-shot that I was going to add to the end of "Dear Victoria" where Mac is in a more benevolent, misunderstood role. However, I guess I'm not sure if that kinda ruins the point of the story with each tom getting one chapter. So I guess what I'm asking is should I still add it on to the end or write it as it's own one-shot story? **

**So, I would love it if you reviewed this chapter and let me know what you think, but also gave your advice on how you think I should handle my Macavity conundrum. Thanks! :D**


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